A pet memorial center in Gwangju, Gyeonggi Province. (image: Goodbyeangel)
SEOUL, July 21 (Korea Bizwire) — Eco-friendly water cremation will now be possible for pet funerals.
The Ombudsman for Small and Medium Businesses reported that new enforcement regulations for the Animal Protection Act have recently been implemented, adding water cremation to the list of pet disposition possibilities.
Unlike ordinary cremation methods that involve fire and heat, water cremation uses an alkaline solution along with heat and pressure to hydrolyze the deceased animals.
Water cremation has a sterilizing effect on the carcasses and is capable of processing animals as well as pathogens within two hours.
There are no byproducts that are produced during the process, which yields carbon emissions significantly lower than ordinary cremation methods or a burial.
The previous enforcement regulations for the Animal Protection Act stipulated ordinary cremation methods, dehydration and sterilization as the only possible means of body disposition for pets.
The ombudsman has requested on multiple occasions to amend the legislation, resulting in the inclusion of water cremation in the enforcement regulations in June last year.
Lina Jang (linajang@koreabizwire.com)
