Georgia Senate approves bill to allow bodies to be chemically dissolved

ATLANTA — The Georgia Senate cleared the way for a bill that would make what’s called aquamation legal in Georgia.

Aquamation is similar to cremation but uses chemicals to dissolve away the human body rather than using fire to dispose of a body.

State Sen. Bill Heath sponsored the bill to clarify an 8-year-old law he, and other lawmakers, thought allowed the process known as alkaline hydrosis.

TRENDING STORIES:

• What was that? Loud explosion heard across parts of Georgia
• Police identify victims killed in massive tractor-trailer fire on I-85
• Atlanta’s Lil Nas X stars in hilarious ‘Old Town Road’ dance-off in Super Bowl ad

According to an aquamation website, the process mixes warm water with sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to dissolve most of the body, leaving behind bones that are then pulverized, stored in an urn and given to the family, much like cremains.

After the body is dissolved, the leftover water is treated with a base and then flushed into the sewer system.

Supporters say the process is perfectly safe and is actually more environmentally friendly than cremation or traditional burial.

Some Democrats wanted to tack on a bill limiting how close crematoriums can be to residential neighborhood, but those measures were defeated.

The bill now goes to the Georgia House.

© 2020 Cox Media Group