Terramation vs. Alkaline Hydrolysis: How Do These Two Green Options Compare? (colloquially referred to as human composting)
When a family is already committed to an eco-friendly farewell, the next question is often which option is right for them. Natural organic reduction (NOR) — the scientific term for the process commercially known as terramation or natural organic reduction — and alkaline hydrolysis — often called water cremation, aquamation, or resomation — are both meaningfully greener than flame cremation, and both are growing in availability across the United States.
The direct answer: terramation transforms the body into nutrient-rich soil through a biological process; alkaline hydrolysis dissolves soft tissue using heated water and an alkali solution, returning processed bone fragments much like conventional cremated remains. Both options reduce carbon emissions substantially compared to flame cremation. They differ most in what families receive at the end, how long the process takes, where they are legally available, and the nature of the environmental benefit each provides.
What is the difference between terramation and alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation)?
Terramation uses a biological process — natural microbial activity over 60–90 days — to transform the body into approximately one-half cubic yard of living, nutrient-rich soil. Alkaline hydrolysis uses heated water and a potassium hydroxide solution over 3–8 hours to dissolve soft tissue, returning bone fragments similar to cremation ash. Both are far greener than flame cremation; the key difference is what families receive and whether nutrients return to living soil.
- Terramation produces approximately one-half cubic yard of nutrient-rich living soil over 60–90 days; alkaline hydrolysis produces 3–9 lbs of bone powder in 3–8 hours — the outcome and timeline are fundamentally different.
- Both options are substantially greener than flame cremation; terramation sequesters carbon in soil, while alkaline hydrolysis avoids combustion but returns nutrients via wastewater rather than direct soil application.
- Alkaline hydrolysis is currently legal in roughly 22–24 states — more than NOR's 14 — making it the more accessible eco-friendly option for families in states where terramation is not yet legal.
- Alkaline hydrolysis uses potassium hydroxide (an industrial alkali) while terramation uses no synthetic chemicals at all — only organic materials and naturally occurring microbes.
- The choice often comes down to what families want to receive: living soil to plant with (terramation) or familiar bone fragments similar to cremated remains (alkaline hydrolysis).
This article walks through both processes honestly so you can make a decision that fits your family’s values and circumstances.
What Is Alkaline Hydrolysis (Water Cremation)?
Alkaline hydrolysis is a water-based process that uses heat and a highly alkaline solution — typically potassium hydroxide — to accelerate the natural decomposition of soft tissue. The body is placed in a sealed stainless-steel chamber and submerged in the alkaline water solution. The chamber is pressurized and heated to temperatures ranging from roughly 200°F to 350°F depending on the system, and over approximately six to eight hours the soft tissue dissolves completely.
What remains at the end is the skeletal structure — the calcium phosphate mineral content of the bones. Those bone fragments are rinsed, dried, and processed into a fine powder that resembles cremated remains (ash) in both volume and appearance, typically weighing between three and nine pounds. Some providers offer the liquid effluent — a sterile, nutrient-rich solution — separately, though most facilities process it as regulated wastewater.
Alkaline hydrolysis is also called aquamation (the term favored by providers such as Aquamation Industries), bio-cremation, resomation (a trademarked term used in Europe), or water cremation — all referring to the same underlying process.
What Is Terramation (Natural Organic Reduction)?
Natural organic reduction is a biological process: the body is placed in a vessel — often called a Chrysalis™ — along with organic materials such as wood chips, straw, alfalfa, and flowers. Warm temperatures and controlled airflow support the natural microbial communities already present in the organic materials. Over the course of several weeks to a few months, depending on the system, those microbes break down all soft tissue and eventually the bone mineral as well, producing stable, nutrient-rich finished soil.
Terramation is the commercial name for this process used by TerraCare Partners’ network of providers, though “natural organic reduction” and “body composting” are also widely used terms. For a full overview of how the process works, see our complete guide to terramation.
Side-by-Side Comparison
The Process
| Terramation (NOR) | Alkaline Hydrolysis | |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Microbial biological decomposition | Heated alkaline water solution |
| Primary inputs | Organic materials (wood chips, straw, flowers), airflow, warmth | Water, potassium hydroxide (alkali), heat, pressure |
| Duration | Several weeks to a few months | Approximately 6–8 hours for the water phase |
| What drives it | Natural microbial activity | Chemical hydrolysis |
What Families Receive
This is perhaps the most meaningful practical difference between the two options.
After terramation, families receive approximately one-half cubic yard — of Regenerative Living Soil™, the finished product of the complete biological transformation. This is genuinely fertile, nutrient-rich soil. Families can use it to plant a tree, nourish a garden, scatter it in a meaningful landscape, or donate a portion to a land restoration project. The minerals and organic matter that made up their loved one become part of a living ecosystem.
After alkaline hydrolysis, families receive processed bone fragments — a powder similar in volume and appearance to the “ash” returned after flame cremation, typically three to nine pounds. Some families find this familiar and comforting; it fits naturally into the same memorialization patterns as conventional cremation (an urn, a memorial shelf, scattering at sea or in a meaningful place). The liquid effluent from the process is typically processed at a licensed wastewater facility and returned to the water system; it is sterile and not considered a hazardous material, but it is not returned to families in most cases.
Neither outcome is better in an absolute sense. They are genuinely different, and families’ preferences vary. Some families want the weight and presence of a cubic yard of soil they can plant in; others prefer the familiarity and portability of a small container of remains.
Environmental Impact
Both options are substantially lower-impact than flame cremation. Washington State’s Department of Ecology, which oversaw the regulatory development of NOR, documents that terramation produces approximately half a ton less CO2 equivalent than flame cremation. Alkaline hydrolysis studies have generally found similar or somewhat smaller reductions depending on the local energy grid powering the equipment and the methodology used.
Some specific environmental considerations:
- Carbon: Both processes avoid the direct fossil fuel combustion that makes flame cremation carbon-intensive. Terramation sequesters carbon in soil; alkaline hydrolysis releases some carbon into the effluent processed as wastewater.
- Water: Alkaline hydrolysis uses significant volumes of water and requires wastewater infrastructure. Terramation uses little water directly but relies on the moisture content of organic materials.
- Chemicals: Alkaline hydrolysis uses potassium hydroxide, an industrial alkali. At proper disposal, the effluent is non-hazardous, but it is a chemical input the process requires. Terramation uses no synthetic chemicals — only organic materials and the microbes naturally present in them.
- Soil return: Terramation is the only option that returns the body’s nutrients directly to the earth in a plant-usable form. Alkaline hydrolysis does not produce soil; the bone fragments returned to families are mineral but not biologically active in the same way.
For a broader look at how these options compare to green burial and conventional cremation, see our guide to green funeral options.
Availability
Alkaline hydrolysis is currently legal in more US states than natural organic reduction. As of early 2026, approximately 22 to 24 states permit alkaline hydrolysis for human remains, according to information tracked by the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). It has been legal longer — the first states began permitting it in the early 2010s — and more providers are currently operating.
Natural organic reduction is legal in 14 states as of April 2026: Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, California, New York, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Maine, Georgia, and New Jersey. Not all of those states have active providers yet. California’s operational date is January 1, 2027. New York’s regulations are still being finalized. New Jersey is expected to have operational providers around July 2026.
If you are trying to find a NOR provider near you, our state-by-state resource on where NOR is currently legal has current information by state. For detailed comparisons with other options, see our article on terramation vs. cremation.
Cost
Both terramation and alkaline hydrolysis generally cost more than direct flame cremation and less than a full conventional burial with embalming, casket, and cemetery plot. However, pricing varies significantly by provider and region, and both industries are still developing their pricing structures.
For terramation, established providers have published consumer pricing ranging from approximately $4,950 to $10,000 on their public websites, though pricing varies by provider and location.
For alkaline hydrolysis, pricing is similarly variable. Many providers price it comparably to or slightly above flame cremation packages, though premium providers may charge more. Some funeral homes offer it as an add-on service.
Families should contact providers directly for current pricing. Federal FTC Funeral Rule requirements mean providers must disclose itemized pricing when asked — request a written price list before making any arrangements.
How to Choose Between the Two
There is no universally right answer. A few questions that may help:
What do you want to receive? If the idea of planting a tree or tending a garden with the soil that holds your loved one’s remains resonates deeply, terramation is the only option that provides that. If the familiarity of a small container of remains feels more right — something portable and familiar — alkaline hydrolysis fits that instinct better.
Where do you live? If alkaline hydrolysis providers are in your area but no NOR provider is nearby or operational yet, that may drive the practical decision. Check availability in your specific state before planning.
What is your timeline? Alkaline hydrolysis is a faster process — the water phase takes approximately six to eight hours, and the full return of remains typically happens within days. NOR takes several weeks to a few months. If timing is a consideration, this matters.
What environmental outcome matters most to you? Both options are genuinely greener than flame cremation. If returning nutrients to living soil is the most important environmental value for your family, terramation is uniquely positioned to do that. If reducing fossil fuel use and avoiding embalming chemicals are the primary goals, both options deliver.
Ready to explore terramation options? Contact TerraCare Partners
Where Terramation Is Currently Available
As of April 2026, NOR is legal in 14 states, with operational providers currently active in Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Vermont, Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Delaware, Minnesota, Maine, and Georgia. California, New York, and New Jersey are legal but not yet fully operational.
For current details on which states have active providers and which are still developing their programs, see our state-by-state guide to where NOR is legal.
For a deeper look at how terramation compares to all green funeral options, see our article on natural organic reduction vs. green burial.
Find a funeral home offering terramation in your state
Sources
- Cremation Association of North America (CANA) — Alkaline Hydrolysis state legalization tracking. https://www.cremationassociation.org/
- Washington State Department of Health. “Natural Organic Reduction Rules.” WAC 246-500. https://app.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=246-500
- Washington State Legislature — SB 5001 (2019), the first law legalizing natural organic reduction in the United States. https://app.leg.wa.gov/billsummary?BillNumber=5001&Year=2019
- Aquamation Industries — Public information on the alkaline hydrolysis process, also known as aquamation. https://www.aquamationinfo.com/
- Bio Response Solutions — Public description of alkaline hydrolysis (bio-cremation) equipment and process overview. https://www.bioresponsesolutions.com/
- California Legislature — AB-351 (2022), legalizing natural organic reduction in California effective January 1, 2027. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB351
- Keijzer, E. (2017). “The environmental impact of activities after life: life cycle assessment of funerals.” International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment, 22(5), 715–730. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11367-016-1183-9
- U.S. Federal Trade Commission — Funeral Rule: providers must disclose itemized pricing upon request. https://www.ftc.gov/legal-library/browse/rules/funeral-industry-practices-rule