Whitsunday Funerals develops alkaline hydrolysis machine to dispose of bodies

A North Queensland undertaker has developed a world-first prototype that will change the funeral industry, and save the environment in the process.

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A North Queensland undertaker has solved an age-old problem – how to dispose of a cadaver in the cleanest, most environmentally friendly way.

Now Jeff Boyle of Whitsunday Funerals is set to put his family’s plan into action.

They have taken out a worldwide patent on an alkaline hydrolysis chamber and water purification unit they have manufactured which he says is the way of the future.

“As soon as we get out there and show people how it works and how good it is for the environment, everyone will jump on board,” Mr Boyle said.

“It’s what we are all looking for — something that’s environmentally friendly and not harsh on the body.”

Owner of Whitsunday Funerals and Crematorium, Jeff Boyle, at his Proserpine morgue.

Whitsunday Funerals operates in Mackay, Proserpine and Bowen, while Mr Boyle’s brother Neville, who has applied to install one of the machines, operates Townsville Cremations.

That application for suburban Railway Estate, opposite a pub and near residential homes, has raised at least one objection from senior principal of town planning firm Brazier Motti, Stephen Motti, who has questioned not only whether it is appropriate for the area but its potential odour and waste impacts.

A prototype of an alkaline hydrolysis chamber developed by the Boyle family.

Mr Boyle, who is preparing to manufacture the machines in Proserpine for funeral directors here and overseas, contacted the Bulletin to argue the case for units.

There was no odour, air quality impact, noise or waste, he said.

By contrast, remains from burials could seep into watercourses, while cremators, required to be heated to more than 830C, were energy and carbon intensive.

“To say that there is an impact on the environment or nearby residents is false,” Mr Boyle said.

“Our unit is unlike any other alkaline hydrolysis system in the world because it has a worldwide patented water purification system, which is why it is 100 per cent environmentally friendly.”

Alkaline hydrolysis is being used in the United States.

Mr Boyle said he had searched the world for alternatives and had developed prototypes which included water purification because of concern water could be put into sewers.

“There is no town water connection required and no connection to town sewerage. The whole

process is a closed system,” Mr Boyle said.

Townsville Cremations has applied to have the system installed at their Railway Estate parlour. Picture: Evan Morgan

In their process, which they have called The Gentle Way, the body is placed into a sealed stainless steel chamber.

“We add potassium to the water to raise the alkalinity. It is the same product used to make soap. This makes the water high in pH, which is what breaks down the body just as it does in a burial but faster. The process takes between 10 to 12 hours,” he said.

Food acid, the same product in Coca-Cola, was used to return the pH of the water to neutral.

Mr Boyle said the water was drained into a tank and passed through a membrane filter, carbon filter and UV steriliser before it was run into another tank, to be re-used.

He said the membrane filter was backflushed and the water put into a pot containing a rose bush or tree.

Mr Boyle said the process left clean bones which were dried and powdered in a cremulator to put into an urn for relatives.

“The Gentle Way system was designed and manufactured to eliminate any environmental impacts whatsoever when it comes to dealing with the remains of a loved one,” Mr Boyle said.

“This system is brand new and will greatly help save the planet when it comes to our carbon

footprint.”

He said they had orders for 10 alkaline hydrolysis units from other funeral directors in Australia and had received interest from France and New Zealand.

Whitsunday Funerals expected to conduct the first use of their machine with human remains in the next few weeks and planned to offer similar services for people who wanted it used for their animals.

“There’s a lot of people in the Whitsundays who want to use it,” Mr Boyle said.

Originally published as Whitsunday Funerals develops alkaline hydrolysis machine to dispose of bodies