(1) A funeral service establishment may not perform alkaline hydrolysis on human remains until the funeral service establishment:

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Terms Used In Utah Code 58-9-616

  • Alkaline hydrolysis: means a water-based dissolution process using alkaline chemicals, heat, and sometimes agitation or pressure that reduces human remains to a liquid and to dry bone residue and includes the disposal of the liquid and the processing and pulverization of the dry bone residue. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Alkaline hydrolysis chamber: means the enclosed space within which the alkaline hydrolysis process takes place and that is used exclusively for alkaline hydrolysis of human remains. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Alkaline hydrolysis container: means a container:
         (3)(a) in which human remains are transported to a funeral service establishment and placed in an alkaline hydrolysis chamber for resomation; and
         (3)(b) that meets substantially all of the following standards:
              (3)(b)(i) able to be closed in order to provide a complete covering for the human remains;
              (3)(b)(ii) resistant to leakage or spillage;
              (3)(b)(iii) rigid enough for handling with ease; and
              (3)(b)(iv) able to provide protection for the health, safety, and personal integrity of crematory personnel. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Authorizing agent: means a person legally entitled to authorize the cremation or the alkaline hydrolysis process of human remains. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Decedent: A deceased person.
  • Department: means the Department of Commerce. See Utah Code 58-1-102
  • Funeral service: means a service, rite, or ceremony performed:
         (19)(a) with respect to the death of a human; and
         (19)(b) with the body of the deceased present. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Funeral service establishment: includes :
              (21)(b)(i) all portions of the business premises and all tools, instruments, and supplies used in the preparation and embalming of dead human bodies for burial, cremation, alkaline hydrolysis, and final disposition as defined by division rule; and
              (21)(b)(ii) a facility used by the business in which funeral services may be conducted. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Person: means :
         (24)(a) an individual;
         (24)(b) an association;
         (24)(c) an institution;
         (24)(d) a corporation;
         (24)(e) a company;
         (24)(f) a trust;
         (24)(g) a limited liability company;
         (24)(h) a partnership;
         (24)(i) a political subdivision;
         (24)(j) a government office, department, division, bureau, or other body of government; and
         (24)(k) any other organization or entity. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Process: means a writ or summons issued in the course of a judicial proceeding. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5
  • Temporary container: means a receptacle for cremated or alkaline hydrolysis remains usually made of cardboard, plastic, or similar material designed to hold the cremated remains until an urn or other permanent container is acquired. See Utah Code 58-9-102
  • Urn: means a receptacle designed to permanently encase cremated or alkaline hydrolysis remains. See Utah Code 58-9-102
     (1)(a) completes and files a death certificate with the Office of Vital Records and Statistics and the county health department as indicated on the regular medical certificate of death or the coroner’s certificate; and
     (1)(b) complies with the provisions of Section 26B-8-230.
(2) While human remains are in the area where alkaline hydrolysis takes place, both before and during the alkaline hydrolysis process and while being removed from the alkaline hydrolysis chamber, only authorized persons are permitted in the area.
(3) Simultaneous alkaline hydrolysis of the human remains of more than one person within the same alkaline hydrolysis chamber is not allowed.
(4) A funeral service establishment shall:

     (4)(a) verify the identification of human remains as indicated on an alkaline hydrolysis container immediately before performing alkaline hydrolysis;
     (4)(b) attach an identification tag to the alkaline hydrolysis container;
     (4)(c) remove the identification tag from the alkaline hydrolysis container; and
     (4)(d) place the identification tag near the alkaline hydrolysis chamber where the identification tag shall remain until the alkaline hydrolysis process is complete.
(5) Upon completion of the alkaline hydrolysis process, the funeral service establishment shall:

     (5)(a) dispose of liquid remains in accordance with state and local requirements;
     (5)(b) to the extent possible, remove all of the recoverable residue of the remains of the alkaline hydrolysis process from the alkaline hydrolysis chamber;
     (5)(c) separate all other residue from the alkaline hydrolysis process from remaining bone fragments, to the extent possible, and process the bone fragments so as to reduce them to unidentifiable particles; and
     (5)(d) remove anything other than the unidentifiable bone particles from the remains of the alkaline hydrolysis process, to the extent possible, and dispose of that material.
(6)

     (6)(a) A funeral service establishment shall pack the remains of the alkaline hydrolysis process, which consist of the unidentifiable bone particles and the identification tag described in Subsection (4), in an urn or temporary container ordered by the authorizing agent.
     (6)(b) The urn or temporary container shall be packed in clean packing materials and not be contaminated with any other object, unless otherwise directed by the authorizing agent.
     (6)(c) If the remains of the alkaline hydrolysis process cannot fit within the designated urn or temporary container, the funeral service establishment shall:

          (6)(c)(i) return the excess remains to the authorizing agent or the agent’s representative in a separate urn or temporary container; and
          (6)(c)(ii) mark both urns or temporary containers on the outside with the name of the decedent and an indication that the remains of the named decedent are in both urns or temporary containers.
(7)

     (7)(a) If the remains are to be shipped, the funeral service establishment shall pack the designated temporary container or urn in a suitable, sturdy container.
     (7)(b) The funeral service establishment shall have the remains shipped only by a method that:

          (7)(b)(i) has an available tracking system; and
          (7)(b)(ii) provides a receipt signed by the person accepting delivery.