Resomation Legalised in Hawaii

On Tuesday 12 July 2022, David Y. Ige, the State Governor of Hawaii, signed HB 1894 into law. Act 294, ‘relating to human remains’, makes Resomation – alkaline hydrolysis – legally possible in Hawaii. We are so pleased that Hawaii has taken this progressive step.

Resomation is a sustainable alternative to traditional burial and flame cremation. The environmental benefits of alkaline hydrolysis are one reason why Hawaiians wanted the process to be introduced.  As the Bill reads:

The alternative water cremation process benefits both practitioners of traditional Native Hawaiian burial techniques and individuals who want an environmentally-friendly cremation option for themselves or their loved ones.

Because Resomation reduces the body to skeletal remains which can be returned to the family, traditional Native Hawaiian burial practices will once again be possible:

The cultural significance of iwi kupuna, or ancestral bones, is deeply rooted in Native Hawaiian oral traditions, language, and culture. Native Hawaiian burial traditions acknowledge the natural cycles of life and death, and kupuna offer spiritual sustenance to present generations. Traditional Native Hawaiian burials include the practices for treatment of human remains, which involve reducing remains to skeletal components and interring the iwi in a kapa or lauhala container.

Resomation is not only an environmental choice, but it enables further ritual possibilities for funeral practice. We expect Resomation to be available to Hawaiians in the very near future – keep an eye on our social media for updates.

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