Alkaline Hydrolysis with Water Recycling JA & JB Boyle’s Eco-Friendly Body Processing System

Alkaline hydrolysis – also known as aquamation or resomation – is an alternative to cremation and burial that dissolves the soft tissues of a deceased body in a water and potassium hydroxide solution, leaving only the bones. A divisional patent from Queensland-based inventor Jeffrey Allan Boyle describes a self-contained body processing apparatus designed to be both water-efficient and environmentally friendly, incorporating solar water heating, a multi-stage water cleaning and recycling system, and a thoughtful approach to the end products of the process.

The Problem

When a person dies, families in most countries have two main options: burial and cremation. Cremation has grown in preference for its lower cost and flexibility, but it produces significant greenhouse gas emissions and consumes substantial energy. Alkaline hydrolysis, which uses water and an alkali such as potassium hydroxide to dissolve body tissues at moderate temperatures, produces far lower emissions and has been described as a more environmentally friendly alternative. However, the water-based process generates a large volume of alkaline liquid containing dissolved body constituents, which must be safely disposed of. Existing systems also require substantial quantities of water and energy.

The challenge is to design an alkaline hydrolysis system that is genuinely self-sufficient and environmentally closed-loop: one that recycles the processing water, recovers useful end products, uses renewable energy for heating, and produces no harmful waste streams.

What This Invention Does

The body processing apparatus described in the patent incorporates a water holding and recycling circuit built around three key components: a first water tank (comprising both a rainwater tank and a clean water tank), a body processing chamber, and at least one second water tank, all connected in a fluid circuit.

The body is placed in the processing chamber in a water-soluble body bag inside a basket. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) is added through an additive treatment means to create the alkaline processing solution. Water heated by a solar heating system is admitted from the clean water tank, and the chamber tilts during processing to ensure thorough contact between the heated alkaline water and the body tissues. Processing continues until the soft tissues are fully dissolved.

After processing, food acid is added to the water in the chamber to return the pH to approximately neutral (around 7.2) before the water is drained to the second water tank. The water then enters a multi-stage cleaning system including physical filtration, which removes particulate matter and cleans the water to a substantially clear state ready for recycling. A backwash tank and bag filtration system are included, and a sediment pot captures a small volume of nutrient-rich water from the process for use by the family – such as to grow a tree or plant as a lasting memorial. The cleaned water is returned to the clean water tank for reuse in subsequent processes.

The remaining bones are dried and returned to the family in an urn.

Key Features

Closed-loop water recycling. A multi-stage physical filtration and cleaning system returns the processing water to near-neutral pH and substantially clear state for reuse, dramatically reducing the water consumption of the process compared to single-use water systems.

Solar heating. Water is heated using solar energy before entering the processing chamber, reducing the operational energy footprint and making the system suitable for off-grid or solar-powered installations.

Tiltable processing chamber. The processing chamber tilts during the alkaline hydrolysis process, ensuring thorough contact between the hot alkaline water and the body and improving process efficiency and completeness.

Potassium hydroxide and food acid chemistry. KOH is added to create the alkaline processing environment, and food-grade acid is added post-processing to neutralise the water before drainage, making the returned water safe for recycling.

Family memorial by-products. A small volume of nutrient-rich water and sediment from the process is separated via the sediment pot and provided to the family for growing a memorial plant or tree, giving a meaningful and natural connection to the process.

Bones returned as ashes. The bones remaining after the aqueous processing step are dried and processed, then returned to the family in an urn, providing a familiar end product consistent with what families receive after cremation.

Who Is Behind It?

The applicant is JA & JB Boyle Pty Ltd, a Queensland company based in Proserpine. The sole named inventor is Jeffrey Allan Boyle. This divisional was filed on 26 February 2026, derived from parent application AU 2024205591, which is a divisional of Australian patent application 2021310689 (the national phase entry of PCT/AU2021/050761), with an Australian provisional priority application 2020902449 filed on 15 July 2020. TJIP Patents, Trade Marks & Designs in Townsville are the patent attorneys.

Why It Matters

Alkaline hydrolysis is gaining regulatory acceptance as an alternative to cremation in many jurisdictions, including parts of Australia and the United States, driven by its substantially lower environmental impact. The process uses approximately 90% less energy than cremation and produces no airborne emissions or mercury releases from dental fillings. As awareness of the environmental impact of conventional funeral practices grows, demand for alternatives is increasing.

The water recycling and solar heating features of this design address the two principal resource concerns with alkaline hydrolysis – water consumption and energy use – making it viable in water-scarce regions and off-grid locations. The family memorial elements (the sediment for growing a plant and the bone ashes returned in an urn) demonstrate thoughtful integration of the emotional and cultural aspects of body disposition alongside the technical environmental improvements.

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AU 2026201491 was published in the Australian Official Journal of Patents on 19 March 2026 and is open for public inspection. Patent applications represent inventions that are sought to be protected and do not necessarily reflect commercially available products.

Related Concepts

Alkaline hydrolysis (also called aquamation or resomation) uses a heated solution of water and potassium hydroxide to dissolve soft tissue, producing significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions than conventional cremation. The process is gaining acceptance in Australia, the United States and Canada as environmentally conscious families seek lower-impact alternatives for body disposition.