Issues 23 through 27 of the FTC Notice to amend the Funeral Rule raise questions concerning the new alternative forms of disposition: alkaline hydrolysis and natural organic reduction. For the most part, consumer advocates have embraced these new forms of disposition as friendlier on the environment and more economical. However the Issues seem to express some concern that as more funeral providers begin to offer the alternative dispositions, prices will be driven up. Accordingly questions are raised whether the Funeral Rule should disclose that reduced basic service fees may be offered for these services. A question is also raised whether the Funeral Rule should disclose that alternative containers are not required with these forms of dispositions.
At this point, these concerns all seem purely conjecture. If anything, funeral providers will likely outsource for at least alkaline hydrolysis and the question will be the same for trade crematories: must the GPL disclose that the funeral provider does not possess its own hydrolysis chamber and must contract for such services.