How science can make burial, cremation and memorial greener

By Kit Chapman2023-11-13T06:00:00

Source: © Maryna Terletska/Getty Images

Does alkaline hydrolysis offer a more sustainable approach?

Every year, around 650,000 people in the UK die. This is not just a personal tragedy for the families concerned, but also a major problem when it comes to how bodies are handled – including respect for remains and the person’s beliefs, but also in terms of pollutants and impact on the environment. It’s why we’re turning to chemistry to find greener and more sustainable ways to manage our environmental footprint after death. Read the article to find out if water cremation could be the answer, or woodland burials. Then download the alkaline hydrolysis activity to use this context with your 16–18 learners and improve their organic practical skills.

Thanks for using Education in Chemistry. You can view one Education in Chemistry article per month as a visitor.

A photograph of a teacher standing in a white lab coat, speaking with a class of children in a laboratory, is superimposed on a colourful background. Text reads "Teach Chemistry means support for classroom and staff room".

Register for Teach Chemistry for free, unlimited access

Registration is open to all teachers and technicians at secondary schools, colleges and teacher training institutions in the UK and Ireland.

Get all this, plus much more:

unlimited access to resources, core practical videos and Education in Chemistry articles
teacher well-being toolkit, personal development resources and online assessments
applications for funding to support your lessons

Set up your Teach Chemistry account

Already a Teach Chemistry member? Sign in now.

Not eligible for Teach Chemistry? Sign up for a personal account instead, or you can also access all our resources with Royal Society of Chemistry membership.