Freeze-drying may be the new cremation.
As Trend Hunter first reported in 2007, Promessa Organic AB of Sweden has a method of disposing of dead bodies called ‘promession.’ Once human remains are frozen in liquid nitrogen and shaken to dust, the dust is processed to remove harmful elements, then buried as compost.
A Scottish local authority, East Lothian Council believes that promession could help ease cemetery congestion and cut crematory emissions. Just last month, the council decided to take allowing the method under consideration. The interest in promession in Scotland may be an indicator of its growing acceptance worldwide.
Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, a biologist, engineer, and avid garden composter, is head of operations at Promessa Organic AB. The Promessa site has a detailed explanation of the method as well as newsletters and downloadable fact sheets.
Key Themes Behind This Trend
- Freeze-drying as a Burial Method
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop and market freeze-drying technology for eco-friendly burial.
- Promession for Cemetery Congestion
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Create a system for using promession to alleviate cemetery overcrowding.
- Global Acceptance of Promession
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Establish a network of promession facilities to meet the growing demand worldwide.
Where This Applies
- Funeral Services
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Introduce sustainable burial alternatives to the funeral industry.
- Environmental Technology
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop eco-friendly solutions for disposing of human remains.
- Urban Planning
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implement innovative burial methods to address cemetery congestion in urban areas.
