What is Aquamation?

In recent years, the pet aftercare industry has seen a shift towards more sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional flame-based cremation. One such innovation gaining attention is aquamation, also known as alkaline hydrolysis or water-based cremation. This gentle and environmentally conscious process has been embraced by pet owners seeking a more compassionate and sustainable way to say goodbye to their pets. In this post, we'll walk through the aquamation process, its benefits, and why it's gaining popularity among pet owners. If you're weighing your options, you may also want to read how aquamation compares to traditional cremation.

Understanding Aquamation

Aquamation is a water-based process that offers a gentle alternative to flame-based pet cremation. The process involves placing your pet's body in a specially designed chamber filled with a water and alkali solution. The combination of water, gentle heat, and alkalinity accelerates the natural decomposition process, breaking the body down to its basic organic components. What remains after the process are your pet's bones, similar to what remains after traditional cremation.

The Process

1. Preparation: Before the aquamation process begins, your pet is respectfully prepared, similar to traditional cremation.

2. Placement in the Chamber: Your pet is gently placed in a stainless steel chamber filled with water and a small amount of alkali. The chamber is sealed to create a controlled environment.

3. Hydrolysis: The chamber is heated to approximately 200°F, and the alkaline solution gently circulates. This combination of heat and alkalinity accelerates the process over roughly 20 to 24 hours, breaking down the organic matter.

4. Residue Removal: Once the process is complete, the remaining bone fragments are separated from the liquid solution. The remaining liquid, composed mainly of water, minerals, and salts, is sterile and safely processed through the wastewater system.

5. Final Processing: The bone fragments are then processed into a fine powder, similar to the ash produced in traditional cremation. This powder is placed in an urn and returned to you, typically with up to 20% more ash than flame-based cremation provides.

Environmental Benefits

One of the key advantages of aquamation is its minimal environmental impact compared to flame-based cremation. The process uses roughly 90% less energy and releases no direct greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere. Traditional flame cremation relies on high temperatures fueled by natural gas or propane, contributing to carbon emissions. In contrast, aquamation's lower energy requirements make it a far more sustainable option, with about 1/10th the carbon footprint.

Additionally, the liquid byproduct of aquamation is sterile and safely returned to the environment through standard wastewater treatment.

Personalizing the Process

One of the meaningful aspects of aquamation is the flexibility it offers in personalizing how you say goodbye. You can choose from a range of urns and memorial keepsakes to suit your preferences and honor your pet's memory, from traditional urns to paw print keepsakes and fur clippings. Take a look at our full pricing and keepsake options to see what's available.

Cost Considerations

The cost of aquamation is generally comparable to traditional flame-based pet cremation. When you factor in the environmental benefits and the additional ash returned, many pet owners find it to be a meaningful value. Still have questions? Our FAQ page covers the most common ones.

Conclusion

Aquamation represents a compassionate and sustainable alternative to traditional flame-based pet cremation, addressing environmental concerns while providing a gentle, personalized way to say goodbye to a beloved pet.

As awareness grows and the technology becomes more widely available, aquamation continues to be embraced by pet owners seeking a gentler, more environmentally conscious way to honor their pet's life.