Breaking Bad-style physique dissolving method might exchange burial and cremation in UK

People’s corpses could soon be boiled and flushed down the drain instead of burial or cremation.

A consultation by the Law Commission is proposing legal approval of alkaline hydrolysis and human composting to dispose of people’s bodies.

Alkaline hydrolysis involves water, chemicals, heat and pressure to break down a corpse into liquid and pieces of bone. The bones and teeth are ground into a powder to be returned to the family while the rest of the body is broken down into liquid which can be sent to sewers.

The Law Commission says the process is different from burial and cremation and there is no clear regulatory approval.

A spokesman from Co-op Funeralcare said: “We are committed to serving the needs of our member-owners and clients and offering the most sustainable and affordable services.

“In 2023, we announced our ambition to pilot Resomation in the UK, and we subsequently worked closely with the Government to explore the regulatory requirements to introduce this service across the nation.

However, we did not proceed with this as, at the time, we were unable to find a path through the current regulatory framework.

“We welcome The Law Commission’s review and encourage exploration into alternative methods that provide consumers with greater choice.”

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