Promession
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Promession is an idea of how to dispose human remains by way of freeze drying. The concept of promession was developed by Swedish biologist Susanne Wiigh-Mäsak, who derived the name from the Italian word for "promise" (promessa).[1] She founded Promessa Organic AB in 1997 to commercially pursue her idea.[2] The company went bankrupt in 2015 without being able to produce a functioning facility.[3] The idea of promession is questioned and not a functional method according to critics.[4]
Process
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- Coffin separation: the body is placed into the chamber
- Cryogenic freezing: liquid nitrogen at −196 °C crystallizes the body
- Vibration: the body is disintegrated into particles within minutes
- Freeze drying: particles are freeze dried in a drying chamber, leaving approximately 30% of the original weight
- Metal separation: any metals (e.g., tooth amalgam, artificial hips, etc.) are removed, either by magnetism or by sieving. The dry powder is placed in a biodegradable casket which is interred in the top layers of soil, where aerobic bacteria decompose the remains into humus in as little as 6–12 months.
Criticism
Promession as a functional method is questioned. No facility for promession has been built or put into service. Critics argue that there is a physical[5] impossibility to atomize a freeze dried human body in this way.[4][6]
Current status
Promessa Organic AB was liquidated in 2015 without being able to produce a functioning module or facility.[3]