EditorialGreen Hong Kong burials in need of further promotion
- With Covid-19 restrictions lifted, the often unwelcome sight of crowds struggling to city cemeteries and columbariums to worship their ancestors has returned
Tomb sweepers flocked to Hong Kong cemeteries on Wednesday free of Covid-19 restrictions for the first time in recent years. The lifting of the ban on public gatherings and mask mandate enabled more families and friends to pay their respects to loved ones.
While the return of the tradition following a prolonged pandemic is to be welcomed, the sight of crowds swarming columbariums and waiting for public transport has prompted reflections on alternative ways to mark the occasion. Green burials are an option.
The practice of scattering body ashes in designated gardens or at sea is not exactly new, and is part of government policy to ease demands on burial facilities in a rapidly ageing city.
According to authorities, there were 9,400 green burials last year, up from 3,400 in 2013. The surge was partly a result of the shortage of manpower and facilities during the fifth wave of the virus.
It also reflected growing public awareness over the increasingly unsustainable approach towards permanent sites for the dead.