比利时殡葬业人士最近提出一项尸体处理的新举措，建议将尸体放在腐蚀性溶液中溶解，然后将其冲入污水处理系统，再经净水厂处理后可回收利用。他们认为这样的处理方式跟火化或墓葬比起来既省钱又环保。这一建议一经提出便引起广泛争议，有反对人士指出这种做法对逝者太过冷漠，也会让人们觉得不安。

Belgian undertakers（承担者，承办人） have drawn¹ up plans to dissolve（溶解，分解） the corpses²（尸体） of the dead in caustic³ solutions（岢性碱溶液） and flush them into the sewage system（污水下水道系统） .

The controversial new method is said to be less expensive and more environmentally friendly than running highly polluting crematoria or using up valuable land for graves.

The departed would go into the sewage systems of towns and cities and then be recycled in water processing plants.

The proposals are being studied by the EU and if approved, it would mean the procedure could be used across Europe.

However, opponents of the plans say it smacks⁴ of a Frankenstein（作法自毙的人） callousness⁵（麻木不仁） towards the dead and one survey in Belgium found many people found the idea "disturbing."

"The idea is for the deceased to be placed in a container with water and salts and then pressurised and after a little time, about two hours, mineral ash and liquid is left over," said a spokesman for the Flemish Association of Undertakers.

The European Commission is investigating whether the resulting liquid could safely be flushed into the sewage system. Authorities in the northern Belgian region have yet to decide whether to approve the process.

Six states in America – Maine, Colorado, Florida, Minnesota, Oregon, and Maryland have recently passed legislation that allow the process to be used.

Although experts insist that the ashes can be recycled in waste systems, the residue⁶（残渣，剩余） from the process can also be put in urns⁷ and handed over to relatives of the dead.