For generations, funeral choices have largely centred around burial or cremation.
That may not always be the case.
The Law Commission has recently published recommendations that could pave the way for new funerary methods to be formally regulated in England and Wales in the future, including alkaline hydrolysis, sometimes referred to as water cremation.
It is already available in several other parts of the world and has recently been enabled in Scotland.
So, what exactly is it, and could families eventually have another option when arranging a funeral?
What is water cremation?
Alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals and heat to break down the body of someone who has died.
At the end of the process, bone fragments remain. These can then be processed in a similar way to cremated remains and returned to the family.
Despite the commonly used name “water cremation”, there is no flame involved.
The process is sometimes also called resomation or aquamation.
Is water cremation legal in England and Wales?
At the moment, alkaline hydrolysis is not an established regulated funerary method in England and Wales.
Burial, cremation and burial at sea remain the recognised methods currently in use.
The legal position around newer methods has been unclear, which is one of the reasons the Law Commission has carried out its review.
Its recommendations do not mean water cremation will immediately become available.
Instead, the Commission has proposed legislation which would allow the Government to approve and regulate individual new funerary methods in future.
That could include alkaline hydrolysis, human composting and other methods which may be developed in years to come.
The recommendations are now with the UK and Welsh Governments to consider.
What would regulation need to cover?
Any new method of dealing with someone after death needs proper safeguards.
The Law Commission has recommended that future regulation should be built around three fundamental principles: dignity for the person who has died, protection of the environment and protection of public health and safety.
The proposed framework would also require individual uses of a new funerary method to be registered and facilities to be inspected.
Using a new method without the appropriate regulation or trial authorisation could become a criminal offence.
Those are important safeguards.
Families need to know that whichever funeral choice they make, there are clear standards governing how their loved one is cared for.
Why are new funeral options being considered?
Funeral choices have changed considerably over the years.
Families increasingly want arrangements that reflect their own values, beliefs, finances and wishes.
Environmental considerations are also becoming part of conversations around funerals.
New funerary methods could eventually give people greater choice, but new does not automatically mean better for everybody.
Some families will always prefer a traditional burial, while others feel strongly about cremation.
Some may be interested in alternatives if they become safely and properly regulated.
There is no single correct choice.
What about human composting?
Human composting is another method being considered within the Law Commission’s work.
It involves placing the body in a controlled environment where natural processes break it down into soil much more quickly than traditional burial.
It is already available in some parts of the United States and Germany, but it is not currently available as a regulated funeral option in England and Wales.
Again, the Law Commission is not recommending that it should automatically be introduced.
It is recommending that a legal framework exists so that methods like this can be properly assessed and regulated if Government chooses to approve them in future.
Funeral choices have always changed
Varty’s has served families in Wigan since 1936 and during those 90 years, almost every part of funeral care has evolved.
Vehicles have changed, and funeral services have become increasingly personal.
Technology now allows families across the world to watch services remotely.
Attitudes towards cremation have changed enormously too; what once seemed unfamiliar can eventually become part of everyday funeral care.
Whether water cremation follows that path remains to be seen.
What matters most?
Whatever methods become available in future, the fundamentals should remain the same.
The person who has died should be treated with dignity.
Families should receive clear, honest information.
They should understand what will happen to their loved one.
And every funeral provider or facility involved should be accountable to proper standards.
More choice can be positive.
But trust, transparency and care have to come first.
As funeral options continue to evolve, we will keep families informed about any changes which may affect the choices available to them.
And we would be interested to know what you think.
If water cremation became available in England, would you consider it?
