Replies to LegCo questions
LCQ1: Eco-coffins
Following is a question by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing and a reply by the Secretary
for Food and Health, Dr York Chow, in the Legislative Council today (January
30):
Question:
Some staff members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) have reflected to me
that NGOs wish that they can, when assisting elderly people who are poor and
those who are on Comprehensive Social Security Assistance (CSSA) in arranging
burial matters, introduce paper coffins, which are lower in costs. They have
also pointed out that at present, members of the public who use government
crematoria services are all required to make cremation arrangements through
licensed undertakers. However, as most of these undertakers do not wish to
introduce paper coffins due to commercial considerations, it is therefore
difficult for members of the public to choose to use such coffins. In this
connection, will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the current number of licensed undertakers who have introduced paper
coffins for the choice of members of the public, and the number of paper coffins
sold in Hong Kong last year;
(b) whether the authorities will formulate policies and take administrative
measures to provide NGOs, charitable organisations and members of the public
intending to use paper coffins with assistance (e.g. helping them purchase paper
coffins according to their own wishes, or allowing them to use government
crematoria services directly without having to make the arrangements through
licensed undertakers, etc.); and
(c) given that encouraging the public to use paper coffins is conducive to the
promotion of environmental protection, whether the authorities have set targets
and timetable for promoting paper coffins; if not, whether the authorities will
consider setting such targets and timetable; and what new measures the
authorities will take this year to promote paper coffins to the public,
especially the elderly?
Reply:
Madam President,
My reply to the above question raised by the Hon Wong Kwok-hing is as follows:
(a) According to the information provided by licensed undertakers of burials to
the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD), 13 out of the 95 licensed
undertakers of burials in Hong Kong offer eco-coffins for the choice and
purchase by members of the public. At present, FEHD does not specifically
collate statistics on the use or purchase of eco-coffins by members of the
public. To encourage the adoption of environmental-friendly burial practices,
FEHD has introduced the use of eco-coffins for cremating unclaimed bodies since
July 2007. As at January 18, 2008, a total of 37 bodies were cremated in
eco-coffins.
(b) Relatives and friends of the deceased or non-profit-making organisations
providing assistance in making funeral arrangements for the deceased usually
handle burial arrangements according to the will of the deceased. According to
the law, a licensed undertaker of burials is responsible for undertaking all
duties connected with the burial of human cadavers (including the funeral
director), with a view to ensuring proper handling of human cadavers and
maintaining a complete record for future inspection if required. As such,
members of the public have to arrange burial services for the deceased through
licensed undertakers of burials.
The Government has been striving to promote the use of eco-coffins. FEHD
maintains close contact and exchanges views on environmental-friendly burial
services with licensed undertakers of burials and non-profit-making
organisations providing assistance in making funeral arrangements for the
deceased.
(c) FEHD has stepped up publicity since last year by putting up notices about
eco-coffins at its cremation booking offices to promote the use of eco-coffins
by members of the public. The Department's website also contains the same
promotional materials. Moreover, the Department distributes publicity leaflets
at public mortuaries, hospitals, centres for the elderly and non-governmental
organisations providing care services for senior citizens. On the other hand,
FEHD also maintains regular contact with the funeral trade and relevant
non-profit-making organisations, and holds discussions with them on the
promotion of the use of eco-coffins. Apart from an exhibition on eco-coffins
organised by FEHD in August last year to enable the funeral trade to have a
better understanding of eco-coffins, a four-day public exhibition was also
organised by a non-profit-making organisation in mid-October last year to
promote the advantages of using eco-coffins to the elderly, elderly care and
service providers as well as the general public. This exhibition attracted wide
media coverage and was attended by representatives of FEHD.
Our observation shows that it will take a period of promotion and education
before the public can gradually accept the idea of using eco-coffins. Having
said that, in order to get hold of the statistics on the use of eco-coffins by
the public, FEHD will collect such information from applicants for cremation and
burial service upon receiving their applications in future. In the coming year,
FEHD will step up the promotion and education on environmental-friendly burial
practices. It will organise talks on the environmental-friendly burial practices
at the Health Education Exhibition and Resource Centre at Kowloon Park each
month. VCDs featuring the environmental-friendly burial practices will also be
distributed to the non-profit-making organisations providing elderly care and
services. The Government will promote the advantages of eco-coffins to the
public through a number of channels, such as the production of announcement of
public interest and leaflets as well as organising seminars and outreach talks.
In addition, FEHD will maintain close contact and exchange views with the
funeral trade and relevant non-profit-making organisations on various issues,
including the feasibility of according priority to applications for cremation
service using eco-coffins and requiring licensed undertakers of burials to
provide the choice of eco-coffins for the public in the licensing conditions.
Thank you Madam President.
Ends/Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Issued at HKT 12:02
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