City bans burning of ‘ghost money’ to fight pollution

A city in East China is banning the ancient custom of burning paper offerings for the dead in the name of combating air pollution.

The ban comes just ahead of the Ghost Festival, a traditional holiday that often sees the burning of ceremonial paper money in the streets for deceased relatives to spend in the afterlife.

However, officials in Tongling, Anhui Province have banned the practice, saying it causes air pollution and is “harmful to the city’s image.”

Officials encouraged people to choose more eco-friendly options to remember the dead, such as flowers or with online memorials, said the report.

The ban went into effect on Friday in anticipation of the traditional festival, also known as Zhongyuan Jie or the Hungry Ghost Festival, which this year falls on August 25.

Groups will be on patrol in the city during the days leading up to the festival and violators will be fined.

“Party members, public servants and employees of State-owned enterprises should take the lead,” Xu Jiannong, a Tongling official, told news outlet thepaper.cn.

While some on social media support the decision over environmental concerns, others disagreed with banning the traditional practice.

“It is none of the government’s business. It is our way to remember the dead,” said Sina Weibo user “hanyunak.”

Tongling follows the city of Harbin, Heilongjiang Province in its ban on burning ghost money last year in the name of pollution.