Pyrolysium.org is a web platform for the promotion and development of pyrolysis as an efficient way to dispose of human remains using the least amount of energy possible. Pyrolysis is the decomposition of organic material through heat in the absence of oxygen. The word pyrolysis is coined from the Greek-derived elements Pyr “fire” and Lysis “separating”.
Humanity has long travelled along an unsustainable path and is now confronted with a scarcity of fossil fuels, rising global temperatures due to a higher CO2 concentration in the atmosphere, an economic model in tatters and an exponentially rising population.
Pyrolysium helps to solve problems in all these areas. It does not claim land that we need to grow food. It limits the use of scarce fossil fuels, reducing the formation of CO2. It turns human remains into biochar, a process which further reduces the amount of CO2 produced. The biochar can be used for the planting of a commemorative tree or buried as a long term carbon sink.
Pyrolysium is a low-tech, viable alternative to current standard burial and cremation practices and expensive modern high-tech alternatives such as cryomation and resomation. Pyrolysium makes the whole process so simple that it can be put to use in the mega-cities in the developing parts of the world.
Pyrolysium.org is a forum for collaboration in an “open source” environment to develop, improve, and divulge this idea, ensuring it is not patented. Pyrolysium makes this idea available as a tool to be used on the down-slope towards a sustainable future.
Ha. That is a really neat idea. Still though… why not just compost them?
Hello Egidius,
I sincerely appreciate your vision and think that this process offers much more in regard to honoring the life of a loved one that has passed than embalming or standard cremation. Think of the value of fruit or nut tree planted in biochar mix, providing food for decades. How about if corpse first allowed to be exposed to black soldier fly larvae that are feed to chickens or fish then feed to family , cycling the matter of the loved one back through the rest of family. I am now using an 85 gallon TLUD to make char here in Portland Oregon. Best regards and I would enjoy collaborating on a project such as bone char filter for air and water to give back to family.
Sincerely,
Jeff Holiman
Portland, OR