How It Works

Hydrolysis is the process by which water (“hydro”) gently breaks down the membrane or walls of individual cells (“lysis”). On the pH scale, water is neutral with a pH of 7.0. Anything above a pH of 7.0 is considered alkaline. Hydrolysis of organic material occurs much faster in an alkali environment, thus providing the name "alkaline hydrolysis". 

Our system was designed and built with the needs of the funeral industry as the priority. The affordability of the Aqualyser Solutions unit will allow funeral homes to perform water cremations in-house.  Alkaline hydrolysis is a more respectable, appropriate and sustainable successor to flame cremation.

We have developed a new low-pressure (atmospheric) system that will make flame cremation a thing of the past.

We start by using a combination of 95% water and 5% alkaline.

We then add heat to break down the individual cells creating clean bone fragments, and a sterile solution consisting of water, salts, sugars, amino acids and peptides. It is considered a very gentle process and results in dried bone fragments (no other tissue or DNA).

Industrial systems have used this process for over 30 years and operate at a high temperature in pressurized containers. The first use of alkaline hydrolysis to dispose of human remains was a system installed at the University of Florida in 1995.