The funeral sector is also undergoing a transformation and seeking alternatives for sustainable burials. More and more people want their final farewell to be an act of love not only towards their loved ones but also towards the planet.
In this context, options such as aquamation, sustainable coffins, and human composting are becoming established as alternatives with a lower environmental impact compared to cremation and traditional burial.
The demand for ecological ceremonies
According to a survey by Choice Mutual, 81% of Americans consider the option of an ecological funeral ceremony valid or desirable.
The trend reflects a cultural shift: even after death, people want to reduce their ecological footprint and leave a positive legacy.
Aquamation: alkaline hydrolysis as an alternative to cremation
Aquamation or alkaline hydrolysis is a technique already practiced in Mexico, the United States, and Ireland, and a Belgian company is testing it for the first time in continental Europe.
The process involves placing the body in a machine with water and potassium hydroxide. When the liquid is heated, the body dissolves, leaving only the skeleton, which is then dried, crushed, and given to the family in an urn.
“It is a new technology that significantly reduces energy consumption and releases fewer pollutants than traditional incineration,” explained Tom Wustenberghs, head of the Crematorium Pontes in Antwerp.
The Belgian project, with an investment of 1.5 million euros, will start with bodies donated to science and hopes to offer the service commercially from 2028, at the same price as a conventional cremation.
Environmental impact of traditional methods
The figures show the urgency for cleaner alternatives:
- Cremation: generates about 245 kilos of CO₂ per body, equivalent to a Paris-Madrid flight, in addition to releasing nitrogen oxides, dioxins, and mercury.
- Traditional burial: releases between 500 and 800 kilos of CO₂, in addition to the impact of embalming products with carcinogenic substances such as formaldehyde and methanol, and coffins with metals and varnishes that leach into the soil.
A first step to reduce the impact is the use of cardboard coffins, which are more ecological and economical.
Human composting: transforming the body into life
Another alternative gaining ground is human composting, also known as humusation or terramation. The body is placed in a capsule with organic matter (wood chips, dry leaves, branches) and kept in controlled conditions for between two months and a year.
The bones are crushed and returned to the mound, which becomes 1.5 cubic meters of fertile organic matter, reducing CO₂ emissions by up to 90%.
Countries like Germany, the Netherlands, the United States, and the United Kingdom are already experimenting with this technique, and Belgium is considering starting a pilot project.
Memorial forests and biodegradable capsules
Other innovative options include:
- Memorial forests: planting a tree over the remains of the deceased.
- Capsula Mundi (Italy): placing the body or ashes in a biodegradable egg-shaped capsule, from which a commemorative tree will grow.
- Coral burial: mixing ashes with ecological cement to form structures that are deposited in the sea, creating shelters for marine life.
Sustainable funeral alternatives are redefining the way societies face death. Aquamation, human composting, and biodegradable coffins offer more environmentally friendly options, reducing emissions and generating life from the farewell.
The trend suggests that in the coming decades, these practices will expand globally, transforming the final farewell into an act of ecological responsibility and positive legacy for future generations.
