Water Cremation in Scotland (Alkaline Hydrolysis)

Scotland is the first part of the UK where water cremation is legal. Since 2 March 2026 it has been a lawful way to dispose of human remains, regulated in the same way as cremation under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016.

Legal does not yet mean available. Each facility needs planning permission and other consents before it can open, which the section "When Will It Actually Be Available?" explains.

Water cremation is not available in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland. The section further down this guide explains where each nation stands.

Water cremation uses hot water and an alkali to do what nature does over many years: break the body down into its basic elements.

The body is wrapped in a silk or woollen shroud, or another biodegradable material. It is placed in a sealed chamber with water and an alkali (a chemical such as potassium hydroxide). The chamber is heated to no more than about 150 degrees Celsius. Over a few hours, usually around three to four, the soft tissue dissolves.

What remains is bone, which is dried and ground into a white powder. This powder is returned to the family, much like the ashes from a traditional cremation.

The liquid left over contains no DNA. It is strongly alkaline and rich in organic matter, so it is treated and then sent to the sewer with Scottish Water's consent, or dealt with under the rules of the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Some people find the idea of water cremation unusual at first. That is understandable. But the end result for families is very similar to flame cremation: you receive a container of remains that you can scatter, bury, or keep at home.

Traditional cremation uses a furnace at much higher temperatures to reduce the body to ash. Water cremation works at a far lower temperature (no more than about 150 degrees Celsius) and uses much less energy.

The key differences:

• What you receive back: Both methods return processed remains to the family. The powder from water cremation is usually lighter in colour than cremation ashes.
• Environmental impact: No fuel is burned during the process and nothing is released into the air, including the mercury from dental fillings that flame cremation gives off.
• Medical implants: Metal implants such as hip replacements come through both methods and can be recovered and recycled.
• The process itself: There is no flame, no smoke, and no combustion of any kind.

We could not find anywhere in Scotland offering water cremation yet, so there are no UK prices. The Scottish Government expects it to cost about the same as a cremation, or slightly more, but less than a burial.

How it compares to other options

The other figures come from our funeral costs guide. The honest answer is that nobody knows exactly what Scottish providers will charge until they open.

If cost is your primary concern, direct cremation (£740 to £1,600) remains the most affordable choice; if you go this route, use a reputable local funeral director rather than an online-only provider (see our funeral costs guide for why).

For families who care about the environmental impact of their choices, here is what is known.

Flame cremation burns fuel and releases carbon dioxide and mercury from dental fillings, and crematoriums have to keep their emissions within the limits of an environmental permit. Burial has its own footprint: land that is set aside for graves, and the materials in coffins and any embalming.

Water cremation burns no fuel during the process and releases nothing into the air. The company that makes the equipment says it uses less than a fifth of the energy of flame cremation and cuts a funeral's greenhouse gas emissions by about 35%. A review by the Health Council of the Netherlands found it compared well with both burial and cremation on resources, emissions and space.

Two cautions. Most of the headline figures come from equipment makers rather than from independent research. And the liquid the process leaves behind is strongly alkaline, so it has to be treated before it goes to the sewer. Our guide to what the evidence shows goes into this in more detail.

This matters more to some families than others, and that is fine. The point is not to judge anyone's choice. It is to make sure people know the option exists.

We do not know yet. When we last checked, in September 2026, we could not find anywhere in Scotland offering water cremation.

Before a facility can open, the provider needs planning permission from the local council, consent to dispose of the liquid (either a trade effluent consent from Scottish Water or permission from SEPA), and the go-ahead from the Scottish Government's inspector.

The Scottish Government had said June 2026 was the earliest it could become an option, depending on facilities getting these consents.

If you are arranging a funeral now and are interested in water cremation, ask your funeral director whether it is available near you yet. Even if it is not, it is worth mentioning so they are aware of your family's interest for the future.

If the person who died wanted water cremation and it is not available yet, choosing a cremation or burial instead is not letting them down.

Internationally, water cremation is already available in parts of the USA, Canada and Australia, and in New Zealand, South Africa and the Republic of Ireland. In the USA it is legal in more than half of the states.

The Hydrolysis (Scotland) (No. 1) and (No. 2) Regulations 2026 set out clear standards.

For operators

• Must keep a management plan explaining how the facility operates, which members of the public can ask to see
• Must keep records for 50 years
• Are inspected under the Burial and Cremation (Scotland) Act 2016 in the same way as crematoriums

For families

• The process for choosing water cremation will be similar to choosing cremation: you instruct your funeral director, who arranges everything with the facility
• You receive the powder back, just as with ashes after a traditional cremation
• You have the same choices about what you do with the remains (scatter, bury, keep at home)

The regulations followed public consultation. In the Scottish Government's 2023 consultation, 84% of the 64 people and organisations who responded supported making water cremation available.

This is personal and varies widely, so it is worth having the conversation within your family or faith community.

Formal guidance from UK faith groups is still limited because water cremation is so new.

• Faith groups in Scotland: When the Scottish Government consulted in 2023, two faith organisations responded. One supported water cremation and one opposed it.
• Catholic Church: In 2023 the US Catholic bishops said they do not think water cremation shows enough respect for the body. UK guidance may differ, so ask your priest.
• Faiths that require burial: If your faith normally requires burial, water cremation is unlikely to be acceptable, just as flame cremation is not.

If faith or cultural tradition matters to you, speak to your religious leader before making any decisions. This is new territory for everyone.

There is no right or wrong answer. Water cremation is simply another option, and having options is a good thing when you are making difficult decisions during a difficult time.

You might consider water cremation if

• Environmental impact matters to your family
• You like the idea of a gentler process
• You want remains returned to you (as with cremation) but prefer an alternative to flame
• The person who died expressed an interest in environmentally conscious funeral options

You might prefer traditional cremation or burial if

• You want an established, familiar process
• Your faith or cultural tradition has clear guidance
• You need the funeral to happen soon (water cremation may not be available near you yet)
• Cost is the primary concern and direct cremation is more affordable

Whatever you choose, there is no judgment. The best funeral is one that feels right for the person who died and for the people left behind. For help managing the practical side of a death alongside funeral decisions, see our guides to closing utility accounts and redirecting post.

• If you are in Scotland, ask your funeral director whether water cremation is available near you yet
• Read our guide on funeral costs for a full comparison of burial, cremation, and direct cremation costs
• Read our guide on arranging a funeral for the complete step-by-step process
• If you are in England or Wales, you can follow the Law Commission's burial and cremation project (opens in a new tab)