If you ’re environmentally conscious , you probably render to reduce your carbon footprint . But that can go up in smoke keep an eye on your destruction , when conventional cremation spews out hummer and accompany carbon emissions .
Depending on where you live and how progressive your local funeral home is , there may be another solution . It ’s shout alkaline hydrolysis , or flameless cremation , but how it works is n’t for the squeamish .
According toAtlas Obscura , flameless cremation habituate a combination of heated water and chemical substance instead of blast to render your physical being into something more easily managed . cadaver are placed into a contraption resembling an iron lung , which is then filled with water supply and a small amount of lye . Once the water is inflame to 300 ° F , the body dissolves over a period of three to 12 hour until only os and a chocolate-brown sludge is left . The pearl is pulverized and can be returned to a family ; the sterile slurry can then be poured into a wastewater system .

If the estimate of becoming one with sewerage is unappealing , consider the welfare . The processuses90 percent less vitality than conventional cremation ; no fume or fastball are produced , entail you could make your grand exit in an eco - favorable way ; and any implanted devices ( like a pacemaker ) resist the process , meaning they do n’t take to be extracted prior and can be recycled later .
Some fellowship haveoptedfor the process for another reason : It seems easy , especially for dead soul with reservations about being buried .
Because there are strict regulations in place regarding consistency disposal , only about a third of states allow for flameless cremation . The equipment is also expensive for funeral homes to invest in , cost a half - million or more . ( The difference in price to the customer , however , is negligible . ) While it ’s yet to fully catch on , the day may arrive when we take leave the mortal plane in molten form .
[ h / tAtlas Obscura ]