'Water cremation eliminates need for a coffin and embalming', funeral director says

The process is an alternative to traditional flame cremation and burial, using water to return the body to its natural components.

The mother of six underwent specialist training in the US before working with Irish Water and Meath County Council for three years to secure planning and a licence.

Ms Oakes is a trained funeral director and embalmer, and advocates for an “environmentally responsible end-of-life choice”.

“Direct water cremation eliminates the need for a coffin and embalming,” Ms Oakes told the Irish Examiner during a recent visit to the Pure Reflections Resomarium.

The facility comprises of a chapel where families can host services, though an increasing number of families are opting for a direct water cremation service, according to Ms Oakes.

“It gives them the freedom to create a more personalised, bespoke celebration-of-life service at a place that is comfortable and familiar to the family,” she said.

“Some people who come to see me would like their remains brought straight to the resomarium and hand-delivered back to the family in an urn within four days, therefore giving the family the time and freedom to organise a funeral Mass or celebration-of-life service that reflects the life lived."

A traditional funeral today can cost from around €6,000 upwards, depending on the requests made by families. The latest Central Statistic Office figures show around 36,000 people die in Ireland every year.

Flame cremations have become increasingly popular in the last decade and are a cheaper option than a traditional funeral. However, Ms Oakes says water resomations are more eco-friendly.

During a water cremation, the deceased's remains are wrapped in a woollen shroud and placed into a large steel vessel. The chamber is then filled with 95% water and 5% alkaline solution, which is heated gently.

Over the course of three hours, the water flows over the remains and breaks them down into their chemical components — amino acids, peptides, sugars, and salt.

There are several eco-friendly options involved in her practice, including a recycled wicker coffin available to loan for €600 should the family decide to have a committal service at the facility.

“This money goes towards our Infant Loss Program," she said.

“We try to be as sustainable as possible; we can go to the family’s home using our private ambulance to collect the families’ loved ones.

“That cuts down on the use of travel costs and carbon footprint. More and more people are asking for this in the final wishes forms.” 

When the remains enter the resomation machine, the deceased undergoes a transformative process lasting approximately three hours.

It is overseen by Ms Oakes who takes a handprint of the deceased.

“It captures the essence of the person, and I like to give them to the families,” she said.

Unlike traditional flame cremation, which releases toxic chemicals, water cremation uses 10 times less energy and has zero emissions.

“Embalmers place cotton wool and sometimes plastic into the body. These materials must be recovered after the resomation process, as they are not biodegradable.

“I would like to see less plastic and cotton wool used in the death process. Any prosthetics such as knees and hips are recycled.” 

Following the process of the resomation, the dried bones are collected and processed down to a natural fine white powder, placed into the urn, and hand delivered back to the family.

“We try to be as detailed and careful as possible,” Ms Oakes said. “It is an honour for me to care for a deceased person, I’m the last to see them. I always talk to them and say: ‘Until we meet again.'"

She said her water cremations offers “choice in end-of-life arrangements”.

The service costs between €1,500 and €3,700, and that includes collection of the deceased from their place of rest, resomation, urn, and hand delivering the hydrolyzed remains back to the family.

The family of a nine-year-old child who defied medical expectations by living four extra years after being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, have used the natural water cremation service in Navan.

'Daisy doesn’t have a headstone, but she is everywhere with me now'

Daisy McDonald Byrne, from Templeogue, South Dublin, made national headlines when she passed away on January 24.

The child was diagnosed with Rett’s Syndrome which is a rare genetic neurological and development disorder that affects the way the brain develops. It also causes a progressive loss of motor skills and language.

Daisy was the 18th person to use the water cremation service.

Her mother Lynn told the Irish Examiner: “Daisy was a water baby, it was the one place that didn’t restrict her movement, and she loved being submerged in the bath. She would be in her element there.

“Our daughter had such a lovely impact on the world because of the child she was, she brought so many good things out in people, I wanted to find something different for her.

“I watched a documentary on funeral undertakers and water cremations were referenced and when I looked them up, I knew that was for my Daisy."

She said she went from being her daughter's full-time carer to handing her over to the funeral directors which, she said, was an extremely hard thing to do.

“But the end-of-life process we chose meant that Daisy is part of the environment and that was exactly what I wanted. 

“Elizabeth wrote to me afterwards and explained in her letter that she was the woman who looked after Daisy. She talked to me through how the entire process worked and how she brushed Daisy’s hair and spoke to her.

I received her urn afterwards and everything was so personal. I received her dress back and it was perfectly presented.

“Daisy doesn’t have a headstone, but she is everywhere with me now and the environmental way of doing things was exactly what Daisy was all about."

She added: "The beautiful thing about the process is that when the ashes come back, they are snow white and pure and crystal-like.

“Daisy left our home in a small white coffin, my biggest fear about her passing was about her being put into a wooden box.

“We went to Jill Massey Funeral undertakers, and she allowed me to lift her into the coffin and I tucked her in, and we recycled her coffin.

“I know everyone loves the idea of having somewhere to go, but I have brought Daisy’s ashes to so many places. I don’t need a grave and Daisy has caused no harm to the environment,  she left it pure. You have to have these conversations."

A spokesperson for the Irish Association of Funeral Directors said: "The wishes of the deceased and the bereaved family are at the core of services offered by committed members of the Irish Association of Funeral Directors, and this is reflected in how they approach every funeral with which they are entrusted.

“Where families specifically wish to consider an environmentally friendly funeral, members can offer a range of options from simply providing electric vehicles for transportation, to recycled stationery, and a range of coffins which are made from environmentally friendly materials such as wood, willow, seagrass, or bamboo with coffin linings made from biodegradable cotton.

“At the heart of arranging a funeral, families are being supported by members to ensure every funeral reflects the unique life of the deceased.”