Demand for cemetery space in South Africa cities is at a critical point directly related to an increase in death arising from population growth and mortality. Population growth from around 22 million in 1970 to approximately 59 million in 2020 and anticipated to grow to 75 million in 2050 is on a trajectory that is placing huge pressure on local government to sustain burial services. As we go through cycles of 60 to 80 years, we will require approximately the same number of graves as our population size. This means approximately 60 million graves in the next 80 years which will continues to increase on every cycle with population growth.
A grave takes approximately 2.64 square metres hence the land requirement for 60 million graves will amount to 15 840 hectares, This is larger than Pietermaritzburg, and just under half the size of Cape Town. This illustration is for grave space only and excludes servitudes and unusable areas which will add to the projected space requirement. Should we continue with current practices this demand will continue unabated and lead to cities turning into large cemeteries. Traditional cemetery layouts clad with tombstones covering single use graves are contributing to the destruction of biodiversity whilst also contributing to town planning challenges that seek to accommodate spatial needs for the living. Finding suitable land for burials is further exacerbated by regulations protecting the environment and natural resources such as water in order to ensure survival of the living. To resolve these challenges practices need to adapt and change. Hence countries facing these challenges globally are adopting practices such as cremation, alkaline hydrolysis and organic reduction which are already being legislated. This will directly lead to firstly the reduction of land for burial and secondly environmental impact.
- The alkaline hydrolysis process also referred to as aquamation, water cremation, green cremation and resomation is a process of using water mixed with a chemical, potassium hydroxide which is heated in a vat in which the body is placed. This process dissolves the body with only skeletal remains that are reduced and given to the family which is similar to cremated ashes. The carbon footprint, energy required, waste output and health risk with regards to contamination of the ground is substantially reduced. The space required to establish a facility for alkaline hydrolysis is similar to the requirements for a crematorium however the dependency on land for burials is substantially reduced.
- The second trend is the development of various processes collectively known as organic reduction that seek to catalyse the decomposition of the deceased to material that can be used to feed the soil. The body is placed in containers with material that cause it to decompose rapidly and the resultant compost material can be retrieved by the family and used in the soil as nourishment for the growth of plants or incorporated in the soil with no risk of contamination.
We call on the South African Government to amend legislation to include alkaline hydrolysis and organic reduction as methods of managing human remains together with burials and cremation.
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