Bill > H2444

This bill expands after-death care options in Massachusetts by introducing and legalizing two new methods of body disposition: alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction, alongside traditional burial and cremation. Alkaline hydrolysis is defined as a chemical dissolution process that uses heat, chemicals, and pressure to accelerate natural decomposition, ultimately reducing a body to inorganic bone fragments and a sterile solution. Natural organic reduction is described as a contained, accelerated conversion of human remains into soil. The bill systematically amends multiple chapters of Massachusetts law to incorporate these new methods, updating language around body disposition, burial permits, and related regulations. The changes allow cemeteries and funeral establishments to conduct these new processes, establish record-keeping requirements, and provide guidelines for handling unclaimed remains. The bill also specifies that these new methods cannot be performed within 48 hours of death (with some exceptions for infectious disease cases) and require proper medical certification and documentation. These updates provide Massachusetts residents with more environmentally friendly and potentially less resource-intensive alternatives to traditional burial and cremation.

Health and Social Services

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H2444