Pontes

Aquamation is the Flemish term Pontes uses for the more scientific-sounding resomation. It’s a process in which the body of the deceased is placed in a special device – the aquamator –, where it dissolves in water heated to 150°C under pressure and enriched with an alkaline solution. What remains is a liquid residue and the bones of the deceased. This pilot project aims to pave the way for aquamation to be officially recognised in 2028 as a third form of farewell, alongside burial and cremation.

With a story like this, we could tick every box on the press conference checklist: genuine news value, broad relevance, visual value, and a clear information need, because the topic had already been stirring public debate in the media.

During the press event, attended by Flemish Minister Hilde Crevits, Pontes director Tom Wustenberghs explained the aims of the pilot project and presented Belgium’s first aquamator.

Afterwards, both Tom and the Minister took plenty of time to answer questions from the attending journalists, as you can see in the reports on VTM, VRT, Kanaal Z, and ATV, and in articles published across nearly all newspapers and news sites.