What is Aquamation?

Aquamation's scientific name is Alkaline Hydrolysis. In the international funeral industry, it is also known as Aquamation, Resomation, or Bio-cremation.

The principle uses 95% water and 5% alkaline solution (potassium hydroxide KOH or sodium hydroxide NaOH) in a 80–100°C, ~4 atm sealed chamber to simulate decades of natural decomposition within 6–8 hours. Developed by Albany Medical College in the USA in the 1990s.

Three key differences:

1. Temperature: Aquamation 80–100°C, Cremation 800–1000°C.

2. Carbon Emissions: Aquamation ~30 kg CO₂e per cycle, Cremation ~320 kg CO₂e (90% reduction).

3. Bone Preservation: Aquamation preserves ~8–10% of body weight with intact structure, Cremation only 1–3% with fragmented bones. Aquamation also has zero air pollution—no smoke, PM2.5, dioxins, or heavy metal emissions.

No. After aquamation, bones are a soft, clean calcium phosphate structure. After low-speed grinding, they become approximately 1–3 mm fine granules—whiter and purer than cremation ash. They are not powdery and can be safely stored in urns or made into keepsakes (memorial jewelry, seed balls, bone porcelain, etc.).

Yes, it's legal. Pet aquamation in Taiwan complies with the Animal Protection Act and local government pet funeral regulations. Moon Sea Aqua Memorial holds legal animal remains processing permits, with equipment certified for wastewater discharge and sealed operations.

Internationally, aquamation is legal in the USA (25+ states), Canada, UK, Australia, and over 20 other countries. Since 2017, the UK NHS has included it as a standard public medical body disposition method.

A single aquamation cycle takes approximately 6–8 hours, adjusted for pet size. Including pickup, confirmation/placement (30 min), bathing/grooming (1 hr), drying (4 hr), grinding/sealing (30 min), and ash delivery, the entire process from pickup to family delivery is typically completed within 24–48 hours. Urgent requests can be coordinated with our service team.

No. The end products of aquamation are water, amino acids, peptides, and mineral salts—all in sterile liquid form. After pH neutralization, they can be safely discharged according to environmental regulations.

The process produces zero air pollution: no combustion CO₂, no PM2.5, no dioxins, no mercury or heavy metal release. The entire process is conducted in a sealed chamber, completely isolated from the external environment.

According to comparative studies by Mayo Clinic (USA) and Resomation (UK):

Energy consumption: Aquamation uses ~40 kWh of electricity per cycle, while cremation uses ~285 kWh of equivalent natural gas (saving ~85%).

Carbon footprint: Aquamation ~30 kg CO₂e, cremation ~320 kg CO₂e (~90% reduction). Processing 1,000 pets per year would reduce ~290 metric tons of CO₂e.

The key is the temperature difference. Cremation's 800–1000°C high heat causes bone minerals to embrittle, crack, and fragment, leaving only 1–3% of body weight as residue.

Aquamation's 80–100°C is only sufficient to break down soft tissue (proteins, fats). The bone's calcium phosphate (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) structure remains nearly intact, with residue being approximately 8–10% of body weight—pure white, fully preserved, and natural in texture.

There's a good chance. In traditional cremation (800–1000°C), pet microchips are completely destroyed, with 0% retention.

Aquamation's gentler low-temperature (80–100°C) alkaline environment preserves the physical microchip approximately 70% of the time.

Why might 30% not be preserved? The microchip's plastic or glass casing can deform under prolonged alkaline solution exposure, and the chip's readability may be impaired. Even when the chip is no longer readable, many families keep the physical chip as a meaningful keepsake—a permanent imprint of their companion's identity.