HILLSBOROUGH, N.C. — Aquamation, or water-based cremation, is growing in popularity as a more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional cremation. The National Funeral Directors Association reports that interest in green funeral options is up 55% since 2021.

A funeral home in Hillsborough, North Carolina, is one company making the switch to the water-based cremation. 

What You Need To Know

  • Interest in green funeral options is up 55% since 2021

  • Aquamation is a water-based alternative to cremation 

  • Cremation accounts for 1.7 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year, according to the American Chemical Society

“With aquamation, we're not burning the body. We're circulating an alkaline solution around it for about four hours so there's no combustion and there's no release of any toxic or carcinogenic gases,” said Hunter Beattie, owner of Endswell Funeral Home in Hillsborough.

According to a publication by the American Chemical Society and the Green Burial Council, cremating one corpse emits about 418 pounds of carbon dioxide into the air, accounting for 1.7 billion pounds of carbon dioxide emissions each year.

The large amount of carbon dioxide emissions are almost entirely eliminated through aquamation and are also a factor into why a Hillsborough couple opted for the method.

“The thing about the cremation process is, it does so much damage to the climate and to the atmosphere and to everything. And so I found this to be a very peaceful way to say goodbye,” said Gwen Claire. Claire lost her husband earlier this year and he was cremated through aquamation.

Today, Claire fills her homes with pictures of trips she and her late husband took, both serving as foreign service officers.

“My husband was also fascinated by other cultures and we wanted to do in my case, we wanted to do what John F. Kennedy said, 'do something for your country,'” Claire said.

Claire said she also plans on using the aquamation service when the time comes. 

“Eventually, my ashes will be mixed with Dan's and will go into a lovely granite bench we have in Hilton Head under live oaks and surrounded by azaleas, so I just can't say enough about what a peaceful process this is,” said Claire.

At Endswell, Beattie said water cremation mimics the natural process that occurs in the soil at a faster pace and uses 90% less energy than traditional cremation.

“We open the door to the vessel, which is sterilized after each use. This basket slides out, we place the body in the basket, covered entirely. We push the body back into the machine, we close the door and then we rotate the machine at a 45 degree angle. This allows us to use less water, and it keeps the potassium hydroxide off the seal,” said Beattie.