Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ14: Green burials

Following is a question by the Hon Chan Hak-kan and a written reply by the Secretary for Food and Health, Dr Ko Wing-man, in the Legislative Council today (April 29):

Question:

It is learnt that the Government started to promote green burials in 2007 by fostering the necessary change in mindset in the community and encouraging the public to use more environment-friendly and sustainable means for handling cremated ashes of the deceased, such as scattering the ashes in Gardens of Remembrance (GoRs) or at sea. However, it has been reported that the utilisation rates of GoRs are rather low and there is a shortfall in the supply of public niches (niches). Regarding reviewing the current policy on burials for the purpose of enhancing the effectiveness of funeral facilities, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the respective numbers of cases in which cremated ashes were scattered in GoRs and at sea in each of the past 10 years, as well as the respective percentages of the relevant numbers of the deceased in the number of total deaths in that year; the size of each GoR at present;

(2) of the total number of applications for niches in the past 10 years, and the percentage of applications in respect of which niches were allocated;

(3) as some members of the public have relayed that some GoRs are poorly managed (such as being used for keeping miscellaneous items), how the Government manages GoRs at present and maintains their solemnity;

(4) whether it has reviewed the existing measures for promoting green burials; whether it will provide incentives to further foster the necessary mindset change in the community, and set a target number of cases in which green burial services are used by Hong Kong people each year;

(5) of the criteria adopted by the Government for determining the number of GoRs need to be constructed as well as for site selection; given that the Government indicated in 2013 that it had identified 24 potential sites for columbarium development, whether the Government will set aside space in each site for constructing GoRs, and how it balances the demand for and supply of niches and GoRs;

(6) of the anticipated number of new niches to be provided by the Government in each of the coming 10 years and their locations; and

(7) whether it will review the existing niche allocation system and accord priority in purchasing niches to those applicants who have participated in several ballots but still have not been allocated niches; if it will, of the details; if not, the reasons for that?

Reply:

President,

The Government has been taking active steps to promote green burials and bring about a gradual change in mindset and culture such that environment-friendly and sustainable means of handling human ashes would become more widely accepted. Green burials include the scattering of ashes in gardens of remembrance (GoRs) or at sea, and the use of a memorial website to pay tribute to the deceased. It takes time to foster the necessary mindset change. In the case of cremation, it takes over 50 years to achieve the present annual cremation rate (the number of cremations as a percentage of the number of deaths) of over 90 per cent.

The Government has constructed some new GoRs of bigger size in recent years, and will provide GoRs in public columbarium projects under planning wherever feasible. In 2015, we will install additional memorial walls at the Cape Collinson GoR for mounting plaques for the deceased whose ashes were scattered there. To encourage scattering of ashes at sea, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department (FEHD) has increased the number of free ferry trips and employed a bigger vessel for more comfortable sea voyages. Starting from the Ching Ming Festival in 2014, we invite descendants to a free ride on ferry around the grave-sweeping seasons to pay respect to the deceased whose ashes were scattered at sea.

In addition to the Internet Memorial Service (IMS) website, the FEHD has also launched its mobile version and is planning to introduce a mobile application by the end of 2015 to facilitate paying tribute to the deceased via computer or mobile devices any time and anywhere. Starting from July 2014, apart from the family members and friends of the deceased whose bodies/exhumed remains/cremated ashes were interred or kept in public cemeteries, crematoria or public columbarium facilities of the FEHD, the IMS is also available to the family members and friends of the deceased who were Hong Kong residents and whose bodies/exhumed remains/cremated ashes were interred or kept in Hong Kong private cemeteries or private columbaria.

To further promote green burials, relevant information compiled by the FEHD is hyperlinked with websites of other related government departments (including the Department of Health, the Environmental Protection Department and the Social Welfare Department) and non-governmental organisations providing after-death services, as well as with portals for the elderly and the youth. Moreover, following the promulgation of our television Announcement of Public Interest (API) on green burials in 2013, a new television API is in production for broadcasting in 2015.

My reply to the question is as follows:

(1) The respective number of deaths, the number of cases in which cremated ashes were scattered in GoRs and at sea in each of the past 10 years, and the proportion of these cases expressed as a percentage of the total number of cremations in the relevant year are tabulated in Annex 1.

The size of the 11 GoRs under the FEHD is tabulated in Annex 2.

(2) The FEHD has been allocating new niches by computer balloting since 2006. Of the 3 374 new niches at the Kwai Chung Columbarium and 18 501 new niches at the Diamond Hill Columbarium offered for allocation in February and June 2009 respectively, all applicants were invited to select a new niche by the end of the allocation exercises. The FEHD also offers 43 710 new niches at the Wo Hop Shek Kiu Tau Road Columbarium (Phase V) and 1 540 new niches at the Diamond Hill Columbarium in three phases for allocation by computer balloting, with the first phase commencing in September 2012. Based on current progress, we expect that the majority of applicants in this allocation exercise will be invited to select a new niche before completion of the third phase of the exercise ends in August 2015. The 1 000 new niches in the Cheung Chau Cemetery Extension are available for allocation, until all niches are taken up.

(3) The daily cleaning and gardening work of the 11 FEHD GoRs is undertaken by the FEHD or its service contractors. To ensure a clean and hygienic environment in GoRs, the FEHD has stepped up supervision in this respect, disallowing placing any unauthorised sundry items in GoRs.

(4) Our work in promoting green burials involves changing the mindset of members of the public. It takes time for them to see their way to accepting green burials as a sustainable means of handling human ashes. We consider it appropriate to go about gaining wider public acceptance through publicity, promotion and education. Our promotion work has started to bear fruit in that the total number of cases where ashes were scattered at sea and in GoRs increased by over 25 per cent from 2012 to 2014. We will continue to improve our green burial facilities and services while stepping up our promotion efforts.

(5) To increase the supply of public niches, the Government has in recent years been actively promoting the district-based columbarium development scheme, under which all districts collectively share the responsibility of developing columbaria. The Government identified 24 potential sites in the 18 districts for potential columbarium development. GoRs will be provided in new public columbarium projects under planning wherever feasible. Over the past few years, the Government has constructed some new GoRs of bigger size in existing cemeteries and columbaria as well as improved the environment of GoRs in operation. We recognise that it takes time to foster the necessary mindset change and are ever conscious that successful promotion of green burials cannot be achieved overnight.

(6) Between 2015 and 2017, the Board of Management of the Chinese Permanent Cemeteries expects to provide about 25 000 new niches, and religious bodies will provide a total of some 47 000 new niches.

The Government estimates that more than 249 000 niches will be provided in the coming five years from 2016 to 2020, including 160 000 niches at Tsang Tsui, Tuen Mun, 44 000 at the Wo Hop Shek Cemetery extension (Phase 1), 20 000 at Tsing Tsuen Road, Kwai Chung, and 25 000 at Cape Collinson, Chai Wan. Subject to the support of District Councils and the Legislative Council for the other projects under the district-based scheme, it is estimated that the number of new niches that may be supplied in the years up to 2031 will amount to hundreds of thousands.

(7) The FEHD has recently reviewed the arrangement for allocation of niches. After taking into account the merits and demerits of various arrangements, it decided to adopt the existing arrangement. Nevertheless, upon completion of the current allocation exercise in 2015, the FEHD will review the allocation arrangement again. We will, as in the past, consult the Independent Commission Against Corruption, listen to different views in the community and weigh the merits and demerits of various options before making a decision on the future allocation arrangement.

Ends/Wednesday, April 29, 2015
Issued at HKT 16:38

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LCQ14 Annex 1   LCQ14 Annex 2