Tennessee does not currently have any laws or regulations about alkaline hydrolysis. Texas does not currently have any laws or regulations about alkaline hydrolysis. Utah passed a bill specifically allowing for alkaline hydrolysis in 2018. However, there are not any current facilities in the state that offer alkaline hydrolysis.
Is alkaline hydrolysis legal in my state?
As you can see above, it’s only been recently that states have begun to allow alkaline hydrolysis. Even though the process is legal, only four states allow it as an option for human remain disposal. Leaving the other ten as options for your pets.
How many practitioners of alkaline hydrolysis are there?
In those states and provinces where it is legal, there are approximately thirty practitioners. Where is alkaline hydrolysis legal? This map is kept updated with regulatory changes.
What is alkaline hydrolysis (Ah)?
A new process, called "alkaline hydrolysis" (AH), is available in about 18 states, and every year more states are considering legalizing the technology. (The process may go by another name in your area, such as bio-cremation, resomation, aquamation, green cremation, flameless cremation, or water cremation.) What Is Alkaline Hydrolysis?
Are there any funeral homes in Idaho that offer alkaline hydrolysis?
However, no funeral homes in Idaho currently offer the process. Alkaline hydrolysis was legalized in Illinois in 2012, when the legislature redefined "cremation" to specifically include the process. (See 410 ILCS § 18/5 .)
What states allow alkaline hydrolysis?
Utah passed a bill specifically allowing alkaline hydrolysis in 2018. Utah Aquamation in Tooele is currently the only facility offering alkaline hydrolysis and works with funeral homes in Utah to providing the service. Alkaline hydrolysis was legalized in Vermont in 2014 (26 V.S.A. 21 § 1211).
Is aquamation legal in TN?
What to know. For now, aquamation can only be used for pets in Tennessee. However, aquamation is legal for humans in 16 states, including Georgia and Florida. Beloved Waters offers two aquamation packages.
Why is alkaline hydrolysis illegal?
A 2010 bill to legalize alkaline hydrolysis in California failed, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, largely due to concerns over lack of data about how the liquid waste it creates might affect aging sewer pipes and employees' health at crematoria—safety concerns that Fisher says he has addressed after years of ...
Is alkaline hydrolysis cheaper than cremation?
The Alkaline Hydrolysis process is more expensive than fire cremation, but cheaper than burial. The average cost for Alkaline Hydrolysis is around $3500, while the average cost for traditional burial is around $9,000 and the average cost for cremation is around $1,500.
Is aquamation cheaper than cremation?
Aquamation Is More Expensive Than Cremation Because funeral homes are a business, they have to charge enough to pay for the equipment they use.
What happens to the bones after aquamation?
The heat, pressure and solution work together to break down the body, leaving only the bones. The body slowly dissolves, and the bones, once removed from the chamber, crushed into ash and returned to the family just like in a traditional cremation.
What does a buried body look like after 1 year?
If you were able to view a body after one year of burial, you may see as little as the skeleton laid to rest in the soil or as much as the body still recognizable with all the clothes intact.
What happens to the water after alkaline hydrolysis?
In alkaline hydrolysis, the harmless compounds formed include salts and amino acids, and are released with the water. This effluent is far cleaner than most wastewater. The sterile liquid is released via a drain to the local wastewater treatment authority in accordance with federal, state or provincial, and local laws.
How much does aquamation cost for Humans?
between $2000 to $3000Aquamation can cost anything between $2000 to $3000. The cost of a flame cremation can range from $800 to over $3000. Aquamation produces 20-30% more ashes than ordinary flame cremation.
How much does an aquamation machine cost?
There are no restrictions on who can buy an aquamation machine, which at Bio-Response are priced from $60,000 (sized to accommodate a single pet) to $200,000 (able to hold bodies weighing 4,000 pounds in total).
Where is Promession legal?
As far as official support for the legality of promession, that's still on the way. It is currently legal in Sweden, the United Kingdom, and South Korea. The public, including most lawmakers, is slow to adopt new burial methods.
What is a wet cremation?
Alkaline hydrolysis (also called biocremation, resomation, flameless cremation, aquamation or water cremation) is a process for the disposal of human and pet remains using lye and heat, and is an alternative to burial or cremation.
What is used in a burial?
Tons of wood, concrete, and metal are used in burials. Not to mention embalming fluid. Choosing traditional cremation offers a different problem. When you cremate, harmful mercury is released into neighborhoods. Alkaline hydrolysis does not have any of these problems.
How many states allow alkaline hydrolysis?
Only fourteen states allow alkaline hydrolysis as a form of body deposal. At one time bio-cremation was legal in New Hampshire. Lobbying religious groups got in banned in 2003. And attempts in 2013 to legalize it fell through.
Why is biocremation used?
Bio-cremation has been used for the past 25 years as a way to dispose of animal remains. Research labs have used it also for medical research. However, there is pushback to using bio-cremation. But why is it so controversial?
When was flameless cremation invented?
Flameless cremation has recently become very popular, but the process has been around for a long time. Amos Herbert Hobson patented flameless cremation in 1888. It was used to turn dead animals into plant food.
How many states allow human remains?
Even though the process is legal, only four states allow it as an option for human remain disposal. Leaving the other ten as options for your pets. We have a long way to go until everyone has the option for a cleaner way to dispose of remains.
Is alkaline hydrolysis more environmentally friendly than traditional cremation?
This type of cremation is more environmentally friendly than traditional cremation. The effects of Alkaline hydrolysis are fewer pollutants and carbon monoxide in the environment.
How many states are alkaline hydrolysis legal?
The pace of approval for human use is beginning to pick up and there are now fourteen states and two provinces where alkaline hydrolysis is legal, and several more have legislation pending. In those states and provinces where it is legal, there are approximately thirty practitioners.
When was alkaline hydrolysis invented?
Alkaline hydrolysis was developed and patented in 1888 by Amos Herbert Hanson, a farmer who was looking for a way to make fertilizer from animal carcasses. In 1993, the first commercial system was installed at Albany Medical College to dispose of human cadavers.
What is the process of alkaline hydrolysis?
Alkaline hydrolysis uses water, alkaline chemicals, heat, and sometimes pressure and agitation, to accelerat e natural decomposition, leaving bone fragments and a neutral liquid called effluent. The decomposition that occurs in alkaline hydrolysis is the same as that which occurs during burial, just sped up dramatically by the chemicals. The effluent is sterile, and contains salts, sugars, amino acids and peptides. There is no tissue and no DNA left after the process completes. This effluent is discharged with all other wastewater, and is a welcome addition to the water systems.
What is AH in cremation?
Alkaline hydrolysis is sometimes referred to as AH, flameless cremation, water cremation, green cremation, chemical cremation, liquid cremation, aquamation, biocremation™, or Resomation™. States and provinces that have approved the process use one of the following legal terms: alkaline hydrolysis, cremation, chemical disposition, or dissolution.
Why is alkaline hydrolysis better than flame based cremation?
The process is more environmentally friendly . It uses significantly less fuel and has an overall lower carbon footprint than both traditional cremation and burial.
How many gallons of liquid is in an alkaline hydrolysis machine?
An alkaline hydrolysis machine is comprised of a single chamber which is air- and watertight. The chamber holds approximately one hundred gallons of liquid. The deceased is placed into the single chamber which is then sealed.
How is sterile water released?
The sterile liquid is released via a drain to the local wastewater treatment authority in accordance with federal, state or provincial, and local laws. The pH of the water is brought up to at least 11 before it is discharged. Because of the contents of the effluent, water treatment authorities generally like having the water come into the system because it helps clean the water as it flows back to the treatment plant. In some cases, the water is diverted and used for fertilizer because of the potassium and sodium content.
How many states have legalized alkaline hydrolysis?
Alkaline hydrolysis is currently legal in 20 states, however this number is constantly in flux as statutes change or are even repealed in some cases. We expect to see that more states will begin to pass legislation on aquamation as the demand for a greener alternative to flame cremation increases. Not to mention the fact that gas prices continue to be on the rise.
When was alkaline hydrolysis legalized?
Alkaline hydrolysis was legalized in 2012 in Illinois, when they changed the state’s definition of cremation to include the process (See 410 ILCS § 18/5 .). Several funeral homes now offer aquamation.
Is alkaline hydrolysis legal in Missouri?
There are no laws/ statutes explicitly allowing alkaline hydrolysis in Missouri, however the process is considered a legal final disposition method as it falls within the states definition of “cremation” (See 20 CSR 2120-2.071 ). Several funeral homes offer aquamation in Missouri.
Is aquamation legal in Kansas?
No funeral homes in Kansas currently offer aquamation, however, it is offered in Kansas City , Missouri.
Is there a law in Arkansas for alkaline hydrolysis?
There is currently no legislation or regulations for alkaline hydrolysis in Arkansas.
Can you use alkaline hydrolysis in Michigan?
Alkaline hydrolysis appears to be offered by some funeral homes in Michigan, however there are no statutes or regulations that explicitly allow it.
History
Alkaline Hydrolysis Arguments
- Bio-cremation has been used for the past 25 years as a way to dispose of animal remains. Research labs have used it also for medical research. However, there is pushback to using bio-cremation. But why is it so controversial? For Alkaline Hydrolysis It is the most environmentally friendly way to dispose of remains. Tons of wood, concrete, and metal are use…
Regulation
- Only fourteen states allow alkaline hydrolysis as a form of body deposal. At one time bio-cremation was legal in New Hampshire. Lobbying religious groups got in banned in 2003. And attempts in 2013 to legalize it fell through. So what states allow alkaline hydrolysis?
What States Allow Alkaline Hydrolysis
- As you can see above, it’s only been recently that states have begun to allow alkaline hydrolysis. Even though the process is legal, only four states allow it as an option for human remain disposal. Leaving the other ten as options for your pets. We have a long way to go until everyone has the option for a cleaner way to dispose of remains.
Conclusion
- Alkaline hydrolysis is a touchy subject. While we understand the arguments against it, we can’t overlook its benefits on our environment. We hope this article gave you an insight into not only what water cremation is, but also what states allow alkaline hydrolysis.