What do water cremations mean for our humanity?

We can’t stop the biological processes of disintegration and decay, writes Ros Clarke. But we can control what happens around those processes

Bodies are brilliant, but most people recognise that we are something more than our bodies (Getty/iStock)

Ashes to ashes, dust to dust… liquid to liquid?

The rollout of a third option to cremation and burial – “water cremation” – has flooded the news recently. The process, known officially as “resomation” – where a body is placed in a sealable, biodegradable bag and dissolved in water and potassium hydroxide – is considered a more environmentally friendly funeral option.

The question of what to do with dead bodies is not a new one. People have always died, and their bodies need to be treated in a way that is safe, hygienic, and respectful. What exactly that is has varied according to custom, belief, climate and science.