Hong Kong to Begin Burying People Wrapped in Paper
The Hong Kong Food and Environmental Hygiene Department is planning to introduce coffins made of recycled paper, which have multiple advantages over the traditional wooden coffins in terms of cost, time and energy consumption.
Currently, the average waiting period for cremation is 15 days.
But if paper coffins are adopted, it may cut the waiting period to only one day, said the department.
Also, a paper coffin costs several hundred Hong Kong dollars, whereas a traditional wooden coffin costs several thousand dollars.
Admitting it’s probably difficult to change a tradition, the department said it would start using paper coffins with unclaimed bodies.
By Sun Tzu on 06-03-2007
Comment by Marie
January 11th, 2008 at 2:28 pm
They already use those in the USA and other places for bodies that will be cremated. If the family doesn’t want to or doesn’t see any point to paying thousands of dollars for a more traditional coffin, bodies can be sent to be cremated in coffins made of recycled paper, recycled cardboard, or other types of paperboard or cardboard. I say, save the environment and money at the same time, or if you feel guilty or sentimental, buy a really nice urn for the ashes with the money you saved by using the recycled paper coffin.