Texas Administrative Code

Texas Administrative Code

TITLE 25	HEALTH SERVICES
PART 4	ANATOMICAL BOARD OF THE STATE OF TEXAS
CHAPTER 479	FACILITIES: STANDARDS AND INSPECTIONS
RULE §479.4	Final Disposition of the Body and Disposition of Remains

(a) Final disposition of the body. Final disposition of the body occurs upon completion of the donation or bequest by acceptance of the body by the board-member institution.

(b) Manner of Disposition of Remains. Intact remains shall be disposed of only by cremation or alkaline hydrolysis. The residual remains of these processes shall be disposed of in a manner appropriate to the disposal of human remains or returned to family members. An institution is obligated to return residual remains to family if, at the time of the donation or bequest:

(1) the request is made in writing; and

(2) the institution agrees to this arrangement in writing. In no event may residual remains be disposed in or as general institutional wastes.

(c) Cremation. Cremation shall occur at a professional crematorium or at the board-member institution in its own crematory.

(d) Alkaline hydrolysis at a board-member institution. An institution may operate its own alkaline hydrolysis facility. The facility shall be under the direct control of the Department of Anatomy or the institution's department to which the anatomical program is attached and may be used for no purpose other than the disposition of human remains.

(e) Return of Residual Remains. If residual remains are to be returned to family members, the chamber must be completely cleaned before subsequent use, and the body must not be commingled.

Source Note: The provisions of this §479.4 adopted to be effective January 1, 1976; amended to be effective March 29, 2004, 29 TexReg 3231; amended to be effective January 23, 2012, 37 TexReg 198; amended to be effective May 27, 2013, 38 TexReg 3354