A crematorium in Enschede is conducting tests using hydrogen-powered ovens to see if it is a viable and cleaner alternative to natural gas, local broadcaster RTV Oost reported.
Crematoria Twente, which consists of four crematoria, has adapted one of its ovens to the new method and expects to use it for a hydrogen-powered cremation by the end of this year.
The method itself is not in question, director Harriët Tomassen told the broadcaster. “We know it works from experiments conducted in England. But we also have to find out about the effects on the equipment,” she said.
The tests include measurements of the effects on the environment and are financed by an EU subsidy.
Once it has been found to be safe and sustainable, the method will not be standard, Tomassen said. “We will of course inform people of the possibility of a sustainable cremation but it’s up to them,” she said.
Some 100,000 people a year opt for cremation in the Netherlands every year. Using hydrogen instead of gas would eliminate CO2 emissions completely.
The number of people willing to opt for more sustainable ways of disposing of their remains is growing.
In 2020, the Dutch health council backed “resomation”, or cremation by water as a “safe and sustainable alternative”. The government is currently working to adapt the law on the disposal of dead bodies to include the method.
More people are also opting for eco-friendly, no-frills nature burials and biodegradable coffins.
Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.
We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.
Make a donation
