“Freeze drying may well be an option within two to three years”

A recent TNS NIPO study among the Dutch population has shown that half of them would, in principle, consider freeze drying. In the freeze drying process (officially lyophilisation), the body is frozen to around –180 degrees, after which it is vibrated apart, so that organic material is left over. “Based on a study initiated two years ago, we believe that freeze drying may well be an option in the Netherlands within two to three years”, explains Henry Keizer, Chairman of the Executive Board of ‘the Facultatieve Group’, an organisation which stems from the Royal Dutch Cremation Society ‘the Facultatieve’ (1874) and which was responsible for making cremation possible in the Netherlands. “Freeze drying is in fact a third, new method of respectful treatment of the dead, alongside cremation and burial. Based on the first study results, we shall now undertake further studies to establish the degree of willingness of the Dutch population towards such a new method. According to TNS NIPO, of the 50 percent of the respondents willing, in principle, to consider freeze drying as an option, 32 percent of the respondents is ‘possibly willing to consider’ freeze drying and 16 percent will certainly consider it, 2 percent is already sure that they will choose freeze drying. The ‘don’t know’ percentage is 12 percent. 29 percent will ‘certainly not’ choose freeze drying and 9 percent will not consider it as an option. Technically speaking, ‘the Facultatieve Group’ would be capable of building an installation capable of the entire process in the very short term, via a subsidiary company which is world leader in the field of incineration and environmental technology, but Keizer believes that it will take more time before the first installation is actually functional. “After all, although we’re dealing first and foremost with people and their acceptance of this new form of respectful treatment of the dead, we also need to take a close look at the legal matters involved.” In brief, freeze drying works by first freezing the body, followed by liquid nitrogen treatment to around -180 degrees. Due to the body becoming brittle at such a low temperature, it can then be vibrated apart and the remaining organic material dried. 30% of the body is left over in the end. The (organic) remains can then be disposed of in a number of ways. They can be buried in an environment friendly coffin for example, so that the remains and the coffin can become composted in time. ‘The Facultatieve Group’, which stems from the Royal Dutch Cremation Society ‘the Facultatieve’ (1874), which was responsible for making cremation possible in the Netherlands, supplies top quality products and services in the field of information technology (IT), communication, cremation and burial, environmental management and incineration technique and insurance, via a number of independent subsidiaries. The head offices of ‘the Facultatieve Group’ are in the Hague.