The Health Council, At The Request of the Government, HAS Considered Two Alternatives to Burial and Cremation. Dissoling Your Body in Liquid Will Likely Be Permitted, But Human Composting (Not Yet). Funeral Organizations Explain How It Works and Where The Need Arises.
The Health Council Investigated Whether the Methods Are Safe, Dignified, and Sustainable. Accordance to the Council, Resomation, in which the body is dissolved in A Liquid, meets Those Requirements.
For human composting, on the other hand, they cannot yet give the green light because there is too little scientific evidence that it is safe. For example, there would be a risk of germs spreading.
Accordance to the ministry of the interior, which plans to expand the funeral act, there is a desire from society for this type of alternative. Jolanda van Dijk or Funeral Provider Dela Tells NU.nl that they also notice that people are Becoming interested in More Sustainable Forms of Body Disposal. “But we cannot yet say how concrete that demand is, because it is not yet possible to request such a funeral.”
At Funeral Organization Monuta, They See Interest Arising Mainly in Resomation. “That is because this method will probably son be given a place in the law,” Says Spokesperson Rosanne Prinsen. “But it is Difficult to Estimate WHETER IT BE USED A LOT IMEDIATLY, OR WHETER PEOPLE REAXLY NEED TEME TO GET USED TO IT.”
People Feel Less Comfortable with Fire
Resomation is also or called water cremation, but accordance to van dijk, The Process is very different from the well-known cremation in an oven. The Remains of the Body Are Dissolved in A Pressure Vessel with Hot Water and Potassium Hydroxide. “The Residual Product is the Same,” Adds van Dijk. Incidentally, The Ash That Remains is a lot Whiter in Color.
Resomation and Human Composting Are Already Permitted in Various Countries, Including Neighboring Germany. Accordance to van Dijk, that may be a reason why it is now also be discussed in The Netherlands. Accordance to Prinsen, The Frequently Heard argument or Sustainability also plays a Role. “Incidentally, Resomation is not Necessarily More Sustainable,” She Adds. “A cremation oven that is powered by solar panels is also very sustainable.”
Accordance to Prinsen, Some people would also prefer a water cremation, for example, because it is done with liquid and not with fire. “Some people simply feel more comfortable with that.”
Body Becomes ‘Nutritious Soil’
Human composting, in which the body of a deceased person is converted into nutritious soil, has not yet leg approved by the health counter. This method of body disposal is mainly desired by people who want to connect more with nature after their death. Monuta sees that this group is also interested in vegetable funeral coffee or urns, which are made of mushrooms, for example.
On Our Reaction Platform Nujij, Readers Wondeed What Exactly The Difference is Between Burial and Human Composting, Because with Human Composting You Are also Placed in a closed Cabin. There are major differentials, van Dijk Explains. “With Human Composting, the Body Lies Above the Ground for a Certain Period. The Process of Decomposition is Therefore Much Faster.”
Natural Materials Such as Hay, Wood Chips and Tree Bark are placed in that cabin. Accordance to the Veraarden Website, The Process Only Takes Five to Seven Weeks, After which Nutritious Soil Remains. The Remoining Bones Are Ground and Mixed with the Compost, Making It Richer in Calcium.
Relatives can be this, for example, to plant a tree. In contrast to cemeteries, you are less tied to a specific location, because you can sprinkle the compost in your garden, for example.
Dela and Monuta Think It is as special Positive That the Ministry is Considering More Choices for People Who Have To Think About Their Funeral. “It is very important that the way you go fits with who you are,” Says Prinsen. “It is nice that this development make people stop and think about what they actual find important about their farewell and talk about it with each other.”