The Indiana House of Representatives officially passed State Representative for District 41 Mark Genda’s legislation to include an ecofriendly alternative to traditional cremation, which will now be assessed by the Senate.
According to the bill, in Indiana, the dissolution of human remains is limited to traditional burial or cremation, and House Bill 1044 tackles the idea of adding the process of alkaline hydrolysis, which uses water, a chemical solution and heat to the mix for funeral homes as an ecofriendly alternative.
“Hoosiers deserve options when it comes to how they are laid to rest and alkaline hydrolysis is just another choice that should be available,” Genda said. “This solution allows families to honor their loved one’s final wish while reducing their environmental impact.”
According to a study that helped guide the bill, traditional cremation can release 534 pounds of carbon emissions into the atmosphere, which helped spark the transition to ecofriendly alternatives in more than half of the states in the nation. Since 2003, alkaline hydrolysis has been legalized in 28 states as a more ecofriendly alternative to cremation, reportedly reducing energy use by 90% and releasing no direct emissions of greenhouse gases or mercury during the process.
House Bill 1044 now heads to the Senate for consideration, and if passed, Indiana funeral homes will be one step closer to a more ecofriendly solution.
For more information regarding legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
