Raise awareness to foster green burials
Customs and traditions do not necessarily move with the times. But when it comes to burials and tomb sweeping in Hong Kong, there is good cause for a rethink. The growing demand for columbariums and cemeteries in our land-strapped city simply makes the conventional approach unsustainable in the long run. It is a relief to learn that the number of green burials has quadrupled over the past decade. Last year, 8,237 chose to have their ashes scattered in memorial gardens, while 1,144 opted for burial at sea. They accounted for 16.5 per cent of the annual death toll, up from 5.5 per cent in 2011 when the green option was first introduced, according to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department. There also is an online memorial platform for friends and relatives to pay tribute anytime, anywhere.
While it is good that the promotional efforts have paid off, those who opted for green alternatives remain in the minority. Overall, the proportion of residents buried by scattering ashes in designated sites and the sea had only increased by 10 per cent over the course of the decade. The rate has stayed at about 16 per cent without further increases in the past few years.
Currently, residents can choose between placing the remains of the deceased in public columbariums or scattering the cremated ashes of the dead over pebbles in 13 designated memorial gardens or the waters near Tap Mun, Tung Lung Chau and Lamma Island. Some also have opted for private facilities here or across the border. Officials have said there are sufficient burial places, despite growing demand. But it is not unusual for families to have the remains of their loved ones stored in funeral service outlets pending allocation.
The recent sights of crowds swarming columbariums and waiting for public transport show many people are still adhering to customs and traditions. But it also prompts reflection on alternative ways to mark the occasion. Given our fast ageing population, the government should carry out more promotional activities, such as talks and guided tours to the memorial gardens to raise awareness on end-of-life planning. This may prompt more people to opt for other sustainable alternatives and ease demands on burial facilities.