Yesterday, hydrolysis – also known as water cremation – became legally possible in Scotland. For the first time in over a century, families have a third funeral option alongside burial or cremation.
The Scottish Government’s legislation marks a significant step for our industry, but also for our families, as it paves the way for more choice and personalisation of someone’s final goodbye.
Here are the three most frequently asked questions we fielded during a busy day of media interviews led by Andrew Purves, our Chief Operating Officer and part of the Working Group advising the Scottish Government.
What is hydrolysis, and how does it work?
Alkaline hydrolysis is a process using warm water and natural alkaline elements in a specially designed chamber to carefully and respectfully return a body to a natural state.
The hydrolysis process takes around three hours and produces a soft white powder – like traditional ashes, which are given back to the family. These can be kept, scattered, or laid to rest in a cemetery according to their wishes.
When will I be able to choose hydrolysis?
Now we have a legal framework, the next stage is for a business or local authority to build a facility. This will require building and planning consents as well as licences from Scottish Water. We anticipate the process will take up to a year and hope to see the first water funerals taking place in 2027.
For those wanting to plan ahead for themselves or someone they’re responsible for, it’s possible to choose hydrolysis now in our free Plan of Wishes or in a prepaid funeral plan. Some families have already taken this step, and we’ll guide them and those responsible for arranging funerals on the options at the relevant time of need. Now that it’s legally possible, we encourage people to share their decisions with loved ones so there’s no doubt when the time comes.
Why might people choose hydrolysis over burial or cremation?
Environmental reasons rate highly for reasons to choose hydrolysis. Compared with flame cremations, there are fewer emissions and a significantly lower carbon footprint. The process of burial is seen by many as a wasteful use of land, which is increasingly scarce in built-up areas. So we anticipate a strong uptake from families who want an environmentally friendly alternative.
Finally, hydrolysis is considered to be more gentle than flame cremation. Water has long been a feature of funerals with many cultures , ,and in a land where water defines much of our history, it will be an attractive option to many families both in Scotland and North England. –Click any of the links below to see our coverage:
BBC News Scotland – Reporting Scotland
BBC Radio Scotland – Breakfast
The Daily Telegraph (subscribers only)