2023 Tennessee Code › Title 62 - PROFESSIONS, BUSINESSES AND TRADES (§§ 62-1-101 — 62-76-203) › Chapter 5 - FUNERAL DIRECTORS AND EMBALMERS (§§ 62-5-101 — 62-5-810) › Part 8 - ALKALINE HYDROLYSIS (§§ 62-5-801 — 62-5-810) › Section 62-5-801 - Part definitions

As used in this part:
(1)
"Alkaline hydrolysis":
(A)
Means a water-based dissolution process using alkaline chemicals and heat, and may involve agitation or pressure, to reduce human remains to a liquid and to dry bone residue; and
(B)
Includes the disposal of the liquid and the processing and pulverization of dry bone residue;
(2)
"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;
(3)
"Alkaline hydrolysis container" means a container:
(A)
In which human remains are transported to a funeral establishment and placed in an alkaline hydrolysis chamber for resomation; and
(B)
That meets substantially all of the following standards:
(i)
Able to be closed in order to provide a complete covering for the human remains;
(ii)
Resistant to leakage or spillage;
(iii)
Rigid enough for handling with ease; and
(iv)
Able to provide protection for the health, safety, and personal integrity of personnel working at an alkaline hydrolysis facility;
(4)
"Body parts":
(A)
Means limbs or other portions of the anatomy that are removed from a living person for medical purposes during biopsy, treatment, or surgery; and
(B)
Includes dead human bodies that have been donated to science for purposes of medical education or research and parts of the dead human body that were removed for those purposes;
(5)
"Casket" means a rigid container that is designed for the encasement of a dead human body and that is constructed of wood, metal, or another rigid material; is ornamented and lined with fabric; and may be combustible;
(6)
"Healthcare provider" means healthcare professionals, establishments, or facilities licensed, registered, certified, or permitted pursuant to title 63 or title 68 and regulated under the authority of either the department of health or an agency, board, council, or committee attached to the department of health;
(7)
"Political subdivision" means a city, town, municipality, county, or metropolitan government within this state;
(8)
"Processing" means the reduction of identifiable bone fragments after the completion of the alkaline hydrolysis process to unidentifiable bone fragments by manual means;
(9)
"Pulverization" means the reduction of identifiable bone fragments after the completion of the alkaline hydrolysis and processing to granulated particles by manual or mechanical means;
(10)
"Resomation" means the alkaline hydrolysis process;
(11)
"Temporary container" means a receptacle for resomated remains composed of cardboard, plastic, metal, or another material that can be closed in a manner that prevents the leakage or spillage of the resomated remains and the entrance of foreign material and that is of sufficient size to hold the resomated remains until the remains are placed in an urn or scattered; and
(12)
"Urn" means a receptacle designed to permanently encase resomated remains.
Added by 2021 Tenn. Acts, ch. 141, s 1, eff. 4/13/2021.