A revolutionary new style of burial, water cremation, could be coming to New Zealand by the end of this year.
The process is currently being implemented in the UK and has been given the rather inaccurate nickname of "boil in a bag".
It involves a person's body being loaded into a tube filled with 95% water and 5% alkaline, being heated up and put under pressure where flesh and muscle will dissolve.
After four to five hours, the body is removed as just bones, where it is crushed up and given to relatives, while the water is treated and put back into the water cycle through a treatment facility.
It's being touted as an environmentally friendly alternative to cremation by fire, and it could soon be available here.
Speaking to Breakfast this morning, founder of Water Cremation Aotearoa Debbie Richards said work is currently underway to bring the new technique to New Zealand.
"We've been working closely with the Ministry of Health on their overhaul of the Burial and Cremation Act 1964.
"Methods such as this are being included in this overhaul of the legislation."
She is hopeful that the process will be available to people in Christchurch by the end of this year or the beginning of next year.
"We've made a lot of progress already," she said.
Richards is currently in Europe checking out how other countries are doing water cremations.
So is there much interest in bringing the process to Aotearoa? Richards says yes.
"I've had a lot of contact via our Facebook page and our website," she said.
"Also, members of iwi have told me that this actually mimics ancient cultural practices where chiefs and other important people would be placed in tapu hot springs and then iwi members would go back a year later and take the bones.
"It's really in demand."
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