Although these new forms of funeral services are not yet legally possible in the Netherlands, they would allow for a more varied choice of funeral services. If passed, the bill is expected to pave the way for other ways of saying goodbye to our loved ones. Here are three of them:
- Resomation
- Promessing
- Eco-study
Resomation
In resomation, your body is not buried or burned, but dissolved in a liquid. This is done through a chemical process, in which your body is placed in a pressure vessel. The process of decomposition takes about three hours. At the end of the resomation, ashes remain, just like in a cremation. These ashes can be used in the same way as the ashes left over after a cremation, for example by storing them in an urn or scattering them.
Resomation is considered an environmentally friendly alternative to burial and cremation. This is because burial and cremation release substances that can be harmful to the environment, while resomation does not. In addition, resomation consumes less energy than cremation, making the process more energy-efficient. In some countries, such as Canada and the United States, resomation is already allowed.
Promessing
Promusing is a technology in which your body is frozen after death and then vibrated and freeze-dried into small particles. What remains are dry grains that can be used in the same way as ash. No harmful substances are released during promission. There is also no need for space to bury a body, where your body often takes years to decompose and groundwater contamination can occur.
You can do various things with the dry granules that remain after promission. This way you can bury the grains in a way that is meaningful to you and your loved ones. Or you can store them in an urn in a special place.
Eco-study
Ecolearning is a sustainable method that is based on electricity. This method ensures that typical waste materials released during a traditional funeral, such as mercury, amalgam and formaldehyde, are greatly reduced. Pathogenic substances, such as bacteria, viruses and fungi, as well as medical residues are neutralized with this method and thus have less impact on the environment.
After the process of ecolating, powder remains that can be buried, scattered, or stored in an urn. When ecolating, there is also the option of opting for a powder piece of jewelry instead of a traditional piece of jewelry with ashes of the deceased. In this way, you can also carry a lasting memory of the deceased with you when ecolearning.
If you want to know more about ecolearning, watch this video: Explanation of ecolearning
Eco-learning is currently not allowed in the Netherlands.