Draft Hydrolysis Regulations published in Scotland
What is Resomation® ?
Resomation is our name given to the process, provided by our technology, which is also referred to as alkaline hydrolysis, or water cremation- the progressive alternative to flame cremation and burial.
Giving people a new funeral choice at the end of life,
Resomation is an option that is felt by some people to be more natural and fitting for them or for a family member.
The process uses water instead of flame, and produces a fine powder which can be scattered, buried, or kept as a memento, similar to cremation.
How does Resomation® work ?
● The body is prepared by the funeral director as usual, but without materials containing plastic.
● You can still choose a traditional coffin – however the coffin is not placed in the Resomator. You can otherwise choose a simple cardboard casket which is recyclable, or perhaps a reusable solid wood presentation casket if you are planning a ceremony with the casket present.
● The body is contained in natural materials only – not clothing, such as a simple wool cover wrapped within biodegradable material.
● Wherever possible, all jewellery should be removed prior to Resomation.
Resomation® can be part of any funeral arrangement.
When choosing Resomation, it is possible to have any type of funeral ceremony in the same way as cremation. The only difference comes at the point after the coffin is taken from view, and the deceased is prepared for Resomation and then placed in a water chamber instead of a flame cremator.
There is freedom to choose how and when to remember the person who has died and gather with friends and family, whether that be a traditional service with the deceased resting in their casket prior to Resomation, or a commemoration of their life in a different setting, before or after Resomation has separately taken place.
The Resomation
● The body is carefully removed from the casket to the tray before being placed into the Resomator. A mixture of water and 5% alkaline solution (potassium hydroxide) are added.
● The liquid is heated to 150°C- under pressure – it does not boil.
● Over 3-4 hours, the body is broken down, in the same way as happens after
burial but in a much shorter time.
● When the Resomation is complete, the liquid is removed, cooled and treated. The liquid is then safely discharged to the water treatment network, in time returning to the natural water cycle.
● The liquid contains no solids – only natural compounds such as proteins, peptides, sugars and salts. It is sterile and contains no DNA.
After Resomation®
● The tray holding the soft bones is removed from the Resomator.
● Any metals (which are clean and intact) and medical devices are retrieved and set aside for recycling.
● The soft bones are carefully removed from the tray, then dried, cooled, and reduced to a fine white powder using a cremulator.
● The remains are then placed in a casket or urn of choice and returned to the family, for keeping as a remembrance, or for burial or scattering.
Why choose Resomation ?
Although we are introducing Resomation for the first time here in the UK, our technology and process have been available in the US for many years now, and thousands of families there have chosen Resomation.
More recently, the first Resomators were installed in Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Canada and Belgium.
Where the choice of Resomation is available, people tell us that they choose it because it feels more natural and kinder to the environment. Many people also say that the process can feel like a ‘gentler’ option.
Simply put, Resomation can feel like a more suitable choice based on the way that a person lived their life and their own preferences.
Contact us
If you would like to know more about Resomation and the service we offer here at Kindly Earth, then we are here to help.
If you would like to know more about the Kindly Earth team please press the button below.
www.kindly.earth
© Kindly Earth 2025. All rights reserved
