Belgium's plan to wash its dead down the drain: Bodies would be dissolved in caustic solution... and flushed into the sewer

Undertakers could dissolve corpses in chemicals then flush the remains into the sewage system under plans being studied by European bureaucrats.

The controversial method has been hailed by the green lobby as a much more ecologically sound method of dealing with the dead than burial or cremation.

But critics have branded the procedure, which has been driven forward by a Scottish company, 'disturbing' and claim it shows no respect for the recently departed.

The method, known as resomation, is being studied by the EU for use and Belgium and would be available for use in the UK if given the green light.

The process of reducing a body is called chemical hydrolysis and has been used on a large scale in recent years in the destruction of cattle found to have BSE.

It significantly reduces the 573lbs of carbon dioxide that the burning of a single body spews into the atmosphere.

The body is placed in a steel chamber along with potassium hydroxide at high pressure and a temperature of 356f (180c), which is 80 per cent cooler than a standard crematorium.

The raised pressure and temperature means the body reaches a similar end point as in standard cremation — just bones left to be crushed up — in two to three hours.

Six states in America - Maine, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Oregon, and Maryland – recently passed legislation and are the only states that allow for resomation.

Although the ashes can be recycled in waste systems, the residue from the process can also be put in urns and handed over to relatives of the dead like normal ashes from crematorium farewells.

Resomation Ltd was formed in east Glasgow in 2007 and has been in talks with the UK government about using the technology in Britain.

The company says on its website: 'The process needs to be approved in each country and/or state before resomation can take place.

'In the UK discussions have already been held with the relevant Ministers and departments within Whitehall in order to progress the use of resomation in the UK.
'Elsewhere across the globe this is a work in progress.'

Sandy Sullivan, who is founder and managing director of the firm, said: 'Over 130 years ago cremation offered fundamental change in the way we approach human disposition and some serious convincing was required before it was fully accepted.

'Resomation now offers a new, innovative approach which uses less energy and emits significantly less greenhouse gasses than cremation.

'Burial space is running out and I have had lots of people contact me whose loved ones have chosen resomation.

'They like the environmental benefits and the thought of going the water route - as opposed to burial or fire.

'It's a highly sensitive subject but we've done lots of research and I think the public are ready for it.'

The name ‘Resomation’ comes from the Greek word ‘Resoma’ meaning rebirth of the human body.

Belgian undertakers hope to have the greenlight within three months.

It has gone to the EU Commission because of concerns over the water table in the country if residual waste is indeed flushed away or spread into rivers or the sea.

In resomation the body is placed in a silk bag, itself placed within a metal cage frame. This is then loaded into a Resomator.

The machine is filled with a mixture of water and potassium hydroxide.
The end result is a small quantity of green-brown tinted liquid containing amino acids, peptides, sugars and salts and soft, porous white bone remains which are easily crushed.

The white ash can then be returned to the next of kin of the deceased.
The liquid can be recycled back to the ecosystem by being applied to a memorial garden or forest or simply put into the sewerage system.