Aquamation (Water Cremation) in Missouri (2026): Legal Status, Providers & Costs

When a death happens, families are asked to make decisions while they are still trying to absorb what changed. If aquamation has come up for you—through a funeral home, a friend, or a late-night search—you may be looking for straightforward answers: is aquamation legal in Missouri? Who offers it? What does it cost? And once the process is complete, what to do with ashes?

Aquamation is commonly searched as aquamation Missouri or water cremation Missouri. The technical term is alkaline hydrolysis Missouri. You may also see it described as flameless cremation Missouri, bio cremation Missouri, or a form of eco friendly cremation Missouri or green cremation Missouri. Different names aside, families usually choose it for the same reasons: it avoids direct flame and still returns remains that can be honored in an urn, jewelry, or a ceremony.

Why families are hearing about aquamation more often

Cremation is now the majority choice in the United States, which means more families are thinking beyond “burial or cremation” and asking about the kind of cremation. According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the U.S. cremation rate is projected to be 63.4% in 2025. The Cremation Association of North America reports a U.S. cremation rate of 61.8% for 2024. As cremation becomes more common, so do questions about alternatives that feel more aligned with personal values and environmental concerns.

What aquamation is, in plain language

Aquamation is alkaline hydrolysis. Rather than using direct flame, the process uses water, heat, and an alkaline solution to accelerate the breakdown of soft tissue. After the process is complete, the remaining bone material is dried and processed into a clean, sand-like powder. Families receive those processed remains in a way that feels similar to traditional cremation, which is why many people still refer to them as “ashes.”

That practical similarity matters. Aquamation changes the method, but it does not remove the “after” decisions. You may still be deciding what to do with ashes, whether you will be keeping ashes at home for a while, whether the remains will be placed in a cemetery, or whether a scattering or water burial is part of your family’s plan.

Is aquamation legal in Missouri in 2026?

If your first question is is aquamation legal in Missouri, Missouri’s regulations are the best starting point. Missouri’s Code of State Regulations includes alkaline hydrolysis in the state’s cremation definition (see 20 CSR 2120-1) and outlines requirements for funeral establishments and crematory operations (see 20 CSR 2120-2).

In everyday terms, aquamation laws Missouri families feel most directly are the protections around authorization, identity verification, and chain of custody. If a provider references alkaline hydrolysis laws Missouri, it is reasonable to ask where the procedure will be performed (on-site or through a partner facility) and how the funeral home documents each transfer and identification check.

How to find aquamation providers in Missouri

Availability is often the difference between “legal” and “accessible.” Alkaline hydrolysis equipment is expensive, so not every funeral home has it on-site. Many funeral homes arrange aquamation through a partner facility, which is common and legitimate when the details are transparent. This is one reason searches for aquamation providers Missouri or water cremation providers Missouri can produce mixed results.

One St. Louis-area provider that publicly discusses aquamation is Hughes Funeral Alternatives, which notes aquamation is available for humans and pets. For pet families in the Kansas City area, Heartland Pet Aquamation offers alkaline hydrolysis for pets. You may choose a different funeral home entirely—what matters is that your provider can clearly explain the process, pricing, and chain of custody.

If you are comparing providers, a few direct questions can bring calm quickly:

• Where will the alkaline hydrolysis be performed—on-site or at a partner facility?
• What is included in the quote (transportation, paperwork, temporary container, death certificates) and what is extra?
• What is the expected timeline for return of the remains?
• How is identity verified from first transfer through return of the remains?

Aquamation cost in Missouri and how to compare it to cremation

Families often search aquamation cost Missouri or alkaline hydrolysis cost Missouri because they want cost clarity, not a sales pitch. Prices vary by market and what is included, but early Missouri reporting offers a helpful anchor: St. Louis Public Radio reported a St. Louis provider charging about $1,450 for water cremation, while some providers charge around $2,000.

It also helps to separate disposition-only services from a full funeral with facilities and staff time. On national cost data, the National Funeral Directors Association reports the 2023 median cost of a funeral with cremation (including viewing and services) was $6,280. This is where funeral planning can reduce stress: ask for a written breakdown and compare line items. If you are comparing quotes and asking how much does cremation cost, Funeral.com’s guide How Much Does Cremation Cost? can help you spot what is included and what commonly becomes an add-on.

After aquamation: choosing urns, keepsakes, and jewelry

Because aquamation still returns remains, families eventually circle back to the next question: what to do with ashes. Many people start by keeping ashes at home while they decide, and that is more common than most families realize. NFDA’s 2025 preference data (summarized on its statistics page) notes that among people who prefer cremation, 37.1% prefer remains kept in an urn at home, 33.5% prefer scattering in a sentimental place, and 10.5% prefer to have remains split among relatives.

If you want practical guidance for that “in-between” period, Funeral.com’s article Keeping Ashes at Home: What’s Normal, What’s Not walks through safe placement, privacy, and timing in a way that respects both grief and day-to-day life.

When you are ready to choose a permanent container, start with the plan and then the look. You can browse cremation urns for ashes as a starting point, and if you anticipate sharing remains, look at keepsake urns and small cremation urns. For a step-by-step overview of capacity, materials, and placement, see How to Choose a Cremation Urn.

For families who want closeness that is not tied to a shelf, cremation jewelry can hold a very small amount of ash in a sealed compartment. cremation necklaces are especially common when the primary urn stays in another household, or when a family wants a private form of remembrance. If you are new to the option, Cremation Jewelry 101 explains how pieces are typically filled and sealed.

Pet families have parallel choices. If you are searching for pet urns or pet urns for ashes, start with Funeral.com’s guide Pet Urns for Ashes: A Complete Guide for Dog and Cat Owners. From there, you can explore pet cremation urns, pet figurine cremation urns, and pet keepsake cremation urns depending on whether you want a single resting place or a shared keepsake approach.

Water burial and scattering at sea

Some families feel drawn to the ocean and consider water burial (a biodegradable urn that dissolves and sinks) or scattering at sea. If your plan involves the ocean, federal rules can apply. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency explains that cremated human remains must be buried at sea at least three nautical miles from land and that the EPA must be notified within 30 days. The same EPA guidance also clarifies that the federal burial-at-sea general permit is for human remains only.

If you are deciding between scattering and an urn-based sea ceremony, Funeral.com’s guide Water Burial vs. Scattering at Sea describes how these options differ in practice, including the role of wind, containment, and the emotional rhythm of the moment.

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