Deborah Richards is the founder of Water Cremation Aotearoa New Zealand, a group dedicated to bringing the option of resomation (water cremation) to New Zealand.

Prior to August 2018 Deborah was a nurse and midwife for 28 years. Following research, a trip to meet with Resomator founder, Sandy Sullivan, in Leeds, and a trip to see the machine in operation at UCLA (Los Angeles), Deborah made it her mission to bring this option/service to New Zealanders.

This is currently being established in Christchurch.

Abstract

Resomation is a significantly more environmentally friendly alternative to flame cremation and burial. It is also known as water cremation, bio-cremation and alkaline hydrolysis.

The body is placed in a 95% water and 5% alkaline solution inside a stainless steel unit using heated and pressurised water. Over a 3-4 hour cycle the body is dissolved and the result is white bone ash for the family/loved ones, and waste water which goes to waste water treatment. The waste water contains amino acids, sugars and soap but no DNA.

The process is legal in some states of the U.S and Canada and is looking like becoming available in Aotearoa in the next 18 months to 2 years when legislation via the Ministry of Health is expected to be passed.

Resomation reduces our carbon footprint by 6 times and uses 7 times less energy.