By Norma Love, Associated Press
CONCORD — New Hampshire lawmakers have upheld a state ban on dissolving human bodies into a soapy liquid as an alternative to cremation.
The House voted 191-172 Wednesday against lifting the ban and regulating the process called alkaline hydrolysis. The state last year reversed a 2006 law that allowed the process, which was first developed 16 years ago as a way of getting rid of animal carcasses.
The process is used on human cadavers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota and at the University of Florida in Gainesville. It never was used in New Hampshire.
A legislative committee that studied the process concluded last summer that the state should not stand in the way if consumers wanted the alternative to cremation and burial. The committee recommended discontinuing the ban if regulations were in place.
Supporters argued Wednesday that consumers should decide what becomes of their remains. They did not object to the liquid residue being spread as fertilizer or flushed into the sewer.
"I would like to think someday I would give something back to this earth that gave me the life I have," said Nottingham Republican Frank Case.
Opponents said the process was disrespectful.
"I don't want to send a loved one to be used as fertilizer or sent down the drain to a sewer treatment plant," said Bedford Republican John Cebrowski.
Raymond Republican Mike Kappler said he didn't want to drive by a sewage lagoon where a relative's liquid remains would wind up.
The process — also known as resomation — uses lye, 300-degree heat and 60 pounds of pressure per square inch to destroy bodies in big stainless-steel cylinders. It leaves behind a coffee-colored liquid with the consistency of motor oil and a strong ammonia smell. Proponents say it is sterile and in most cases can safely be poured down the drain.
Manchester funeral director Chad Corbin pressed lawmakers to adopt regulations allowing him to provide the service now that the committee's study determined the ban should be ended.
Corbin sought last year to be the first funeral director anywhere in the world to offer the process to the public, arguing that the process is more environmentally friendly than cremation. But lawmakers balked over legislation to establish regulations.
The New Hampshire Funeral Directors Association also supported the renewed effort as a way to provide another choice to the public.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Manchester opposed the ideas — as it did last year — calling it undignified because the soft body tissue is dissolved into a soapy liquid and flushed into the sewer.
Besides the liquid, the process leaves a dry bone residue similar in appearance and volume to cremated remains. It could be returned to the family in an urn or buried in a cemetery.
Alkaline hydrolysis doesn't take up as much space in cemeteries as burial. Supporters say the process also could ease concerns about crematorium emissions, including carbon dioxide as well as mercury from silver dental fillings.
CSNH President Buddy Phaneuf's point of view:
While I have been interviewed on NH Public Radio, WMUR and have been quoted in the Union Leader, Concord Monitor and in several funeral service trade magazines about my opposition to resomation as a eco-friendly alternative to cremation, I am not opposed to an individual’s right to be able to select resomation as a option if they so desire.
My major problem with this entire issue is the fact that resomation was initially going to be regulated by the State just like cremation. And the resomation process was already being marketed as a form of cremation that was better for the environment. However, the resomation process has very few similarities to the cremation process. I am also not convinced that resomation has any more or less impact on the environment than cremation. While the resomation process has no airborn emissions, there is a significant electrical demand to heat the water. In NH, a good percentage of our electricity is generated by coal burning plants. So, one needs to take a look at the entire resomation process from beginning to end to determine it’s true environmental impact.
