Scotland weighs water cremation as greener funeral option

Scotland is moving toward a water cremation option, known as alkaline hydrolysis, as a greener alternative to burial or traditional cremation. Holyrood officials have convened an Alkaline Hydrolysis Working Group to draft regulations, with the aim of allowing licensed funeral directors to offer the service and potentially making Scotland the first part of the United Kingdom to do so.

Alkaline hydrolysis involves submerging a body in a caustic chemical solution and heating it to about 160C in a pressurised metal chamber for several hours. The process leaves bone fragments that can be crushed into a white powder, which resembles ashes. Coffins would only be used to transport the deceased to the crematorium, and there is talk that they could be rented rather than sold. The group, which includes government officials, funeral directors, and representatives from Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, held its first meeting at Holyrood.

Minutes from the panel show that public perception was identified as a key consideration in introducing any new method of body disposal. The group noted that the potential use of the effluent as a fertiliser could be considered only once alkaline hydrolysis has been established as an accepted alternative to burial and cremation, and discussions could occur on whether consent would be required for such use. The liquid left from the process can be disposed of down the drain, but because it is rich in amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts, it also makes an argument for potential fertiliser uses in certain contexts.

The method is increasingly popular in other parts of the world and is often cited as greener than traditional cremation because it avoids burial land and does not emit the same gases. Among the notable adopters of the process was Archbishop Desmond Tutu, who died in 2021 in South Africa and was reportedly associated with the technique in some contexts. In Scotland, a government consultation last year found that 84 percent of respondents were in favour of allowing alkaline hydrolysis.

Public Health Minister Jenni Minto said that after the consultation, the proposed procedures and regulations would be laid before the Scottish Parliament for consideration later this year, signaling the start of a formal legislative process. Officials stressed that the group’s work would balance environmental aims with public acceptance, and that any future use of effluent as fertiliser would require careful governance and consent arrangements before it could be implemented.

Supporters argue the process aligns with climate and environmental goals by reducing land use for burials and limiting conventional cremation emissions. Critics have raised questions about public perception and the handling of byproducts, underscoring the need for clear rules on consent, safety, and environmental impact. The working group’s next steps involve refining regulatory language, outlining licensing criteria for providers, and engaging with communities as Scotland weighs whether to become the first UK nation to embrace water cremation at scale.