Florida Funeral Home First to Debut Alternative to Cremation: Liquefaction
100 replies, posted
[QUOTE]A Florida funeral home has debuted a new alternative to cremation, known as the Resomator, that uses heated alkaline water to dissolve bodies in about three hours. Why do we need an alternative to cremation in the first place? Turns out cremation devices use lots of energy, release a fair amount of carbon emissions, and, in the U.K., are responsible for 16% of mercury emissions.
Created by a Glaswegian company, the Resomator submerges bodies in a potassium hydroxide solution in its steel chamber, then pressurizes (to about ten atmospheres) and heats (to over 350 degrees F) the solution for about three hours. After that, the resulting liquid is simply poured into the regular sewage system--it apparently poses no environmental risk and has passed Florida's undoubtedly strict laws for this sort of bio-disposal. Bones remain and are pulverized to ash in the usual way, and any metal bits (including mercury and any prostheses) are retained to be disposed of or recycled in a more responsible way.
Florida is just one of seven states that has legalized the Resomator, but it may catch on in others. The president of Resomation Ltd, the company behind the device, says it emits a third less greenhouse gas and uses a mere seventh of the energy of a cremation device, let alone the benefits of safe extraction of mercury and other metals. The company seems hopeful that its macabre but useful creation will soon receive approval in its native U.K..
[img]http://www.popsci.com/files/imagecache/article_image_large/articles/Screen%20shot%202011-08-30%20at%201.06.43%20PM.png[/img][/QUOTE]
Source: [url]http://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2011-08/florida-funeral-home-debuts-alternative-cremation-liquefaction[/url]
For once Florida comes out in the news with something not fucked up.
This thing actually sounds better than I thought it would.
Oh that's neat
Now I wonder which one is more painful to experience if you're still alive
[QUOTE]Bones remain and are pulverized to ash in the usual way[/QUOTE]
And what's [I]"the usual way"[/I] exactly?
Thats fucked up thou. They pour you into the sewer system.
Why would you want some of the remains of dead people in the sewage system?
[QUOTE=Ninja Duck;32040851]Why would you want some of the remains of dead people in the sewage system?[/QUOTE]
Don't you want your last act on this world to be flushed down a toilet?
:v:
[QUOTE=Jund;32040808]Oh that's neat
Now I wonder which one is more painful to experience if you're still alive[/QUOTE]
Considering you're essentially being melted this way, I'd rather die via cremation
And to be honest this isn't the most dignified way to be disposed of.
What ever happened to the good old burial six feet under ground?
I would hate to be the guy at the funeral home responsible for this stuff.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32040921]Considering you're essentially being melted this way, I'd rather die via cremation
And to be honest this isn't the most dignified way to be disposed of.[/QUOTE]
Since you'll be dead I doubt you'll give a shit
[QUOTE=Bat-shit;32040928]What ever happened to the good old burial six feet under ground?[/QUOTE]
Takes up a lot of space, caskets and vaults crack open over time and preservatives leak out of them (poisoning the soil), bodies go in looking pretty good and wind up looking very nasty, etc.
[QUOTE=Van-man;32040823]And what's [I]"the usual way"[/I] exactly?[/QUOTE]
They have some kind of crushing device that breaks up whats left of the bones into smaller bits for the box of ashes they give your loved ones. This does the same. So you'd still be put in an urn, there would just be less ash.
[editline]31st August 2011[/editline]
We should just toss our dead in a volcano!
[QUOTE=James*;32041030]Since you'll be dead I doubt you'll give a shit[/QUOTE]
I do while I'm alive however.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041073]I do while I'm alive however.[/QUOTE]
why
[QUOTE=James*;32041099]why[/QUOTE]
Why not
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041116]Why not[/QUOTE]
Because you'll be dead, you will have no knowledge of it and thus it makes no difference
[QUOTE=Ninja Duck;32040851]Why would you want some of the remains of dead people in the sewage system?[/QUOTE]Yeah I know right that's just plain gross.
[QUOTE=James*;32041127]Because you'll be dead, you will have no knowledge of it and thus it makes no difference[/QUOTE]
Nothing matters after you're dead, however many people do things that will help those in the future after you're dead because they care what happens after they die.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041161]Nothing matters after you're dead, however many people do things that will help those in the future after you're dead because they care what happens after they die.[/QUOTE]
Which is why people should go for a more efficient and environmentally sound method of being disposed of
[editline]31st August 2011[/editline]
Pretty much contradicted yourself there
I bet some sick fuck will mix vodka with their deceased loved one and drink it, much like that nutjob that ate her husband's ashes.
Still, cool breakthrough.
[QUOTE=James*;32041184]Which is why people should go for a more efficient and environmentally sound method of being disposed of
[editline]31st August 2011[/editline]
Pretty much contradicted yourself there[/QUOTE]
I don't think cremation is a very big carbon dioxide producer to be honest.
[quote] What ever happened to the good old burial six feet under ground? [/quote]
Dead bodies that get put in the ground get pretty nasty looking over time anyways.
I don't know about you guys but if I was a dead body I'd like to get the nastyfication process over with as soon as possible. It would be like ripping off a band-aid really fast, except with decay.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041233]I don't think cremation is a very big carbon dioxide producer to be honest.[/QUOTE]
Every step helps though.
Besides you ARE a goner when it happens, so it's kinda selfish to wanna utilize the more polluting solution.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041233]I don't think cremation is a very big carbon dioxide producer to be honest.[/QUOTE]
Did you read the article
[QUOTE=Van-man;32041274]Every step helps though.
Besides you ARE a goner when it happens, so it's kinda selfish to wanna utilize the more polluting solution.[/QUOTE]
I'll probably try and get my body cryogenically froze if I can
[QUOTE=Van-man;32040823]And what's [I]"the usual way"[/I] exactly?[/QUOTE]
An angry man named Bruno punches them into dust.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041333]I'll probably try and get my body cryogenically froze if I can[/QUOTE]
Keeping you cold requires energy, which in turn most likely comes from fossil fuels being combusted.
Due to fear mongering regarding building new & safe nuclear reactors.
[QUOTE=carcarcargo;32041233]I don't think cremation is a very big carbon dioxide producer to be honest.[/QUOTE]
It is apparently, so much so the EU want to regulate it. The BBC have an article on this device and it talks briefly about the reasons for it.
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