What is Aquamation?
Water-based Aquamation is a method of final disposition. Aquamation does in hours what nature does in months and years as part of nature’s course when a body is laid to rest. Through a combination of water flow, temperature, and alkalinity, we accelerate nature’s process of tissue hydrolysis to return the body to its natural form.
We find that many families are grateful to have a choice, and some prefer a process that does not use fire or flame. Many believe this to be a gentle option, and value the decreased carbon foot print it leaves.
With Aquamation, an individual body is gently placed in a container that is then placed in a sterile stainless steel vessel. A combination of 95% water and 5% alkali (sodium and potassium hydroxide) are used, in the process of tissue hydrolysis. These alkalis are safe for the environment and are the same alkalis that are used in many common household products.
Upon the completion of the process, the water is returned to the ecosystem via the normal wastewater treatment facility. The Aquamation process produces a completely sterile solution of amino acids, sugars, nutrients, salts, and soaps in a water solution. These are all by-products of natural decomposition.
Aquamation preserves approximately 20% more remains of your loved one. These remains are 100% safe, pathogen and disease free, and consist simply of bone material (calcium phosphate). Families may keep the Aquamated remains in an urn, inter them in a grave or niche, or scatter them in a special place.
Why You Should Consider Aquamation
Many people believe that Aquamation is an extremely environmentally-friendly choice because there are almost zero emissions admitted into the atmosphere during this process.
Many families who are concerned about the environment believe this to be a gentle process and prefer this process because no vapourized mercury emissions and no filtration or abatement systems required. Mercury from dental amalgam is contained and recycled, not vapourized.
Furthermore, caskets are not burned, which protects our natural resources and produces a decreased carbon footprint.
Finally, by-product (effluent) is safe with no harmful chemical or microbial contamination.
Please feel free to peruse our aquamation information page which covers commonly asked questions.
Why Choose Us
Highly Experienced Owner
Kawartha Aquamation is owned and operated by John Cunningham, who has been a Licensed Funeral Director for 25+ years. Beginning with his great-grandfather, Louis Nicholas Phippen, John's family has provided funeral services for the people of Ontario for four generations.
John provides aquamation services through both of his funeral homes, Ashburnham Funeral Home & Community Alternative Funeral Home, because he believes in offering families an environmentally-friendly choice when it comes to body disposition.
Locally Owned and Operated
We are not owned by a multinational funeral conglomerate. All decisions are made at the community level and we are able to respond to local needs and conditions immediately. We also strive to support and promote many of the quality businesses in our Peterborough community.
No Commissioned Sales People
Making end-of-life arrangements can be stressful enough. We are committed to helping families select the services they want without any sales pressures.
Call Us Today
We welcome the opportunity to answer all of your questions about whether aquamation is the right choice for you and your family. We are ready to help you in any way that we can, so call today.
