HONG KONG --
Hong Kong's deadliest coronavirus outbreak has value about 6,000 lives this 12 months -- and town is now working out of coffins.
Authorities have scrambled to order extra, with the federal government saying 1,200 coffins had reached town final week with extra to come back.
House constraints make cremation a standard burial follow within the densely populated island territory off the Chinese language mainland, and the coffins usually are wooden or wooden substitutes.
To reply the scarcity of them because of the COVID-19 toll, some firms are providing options equivalent to an environmentally pleasant cardboard coffin.
LifeArt Asia has cardboard coffins product of recycled wooden fiber that may be personalized with designs on the outside. In its manufacturing unit in Aberdeen, a southern district of Hong Kong, as much as 50 coffins could be produced a day.
CEO Wilson Tong stated there's nonetheless some resistance to utilizing caskets product of cardboard. "(Individuals really feel that) it is just a little bit shameful to make use of so-called paper caskets. They really feel that this isn't very respectful to their family members," Tong stated.
However he famous the corporate has designs that may mirror faith or hobbies and the coffin can actually have a customized colour. "So it provides greater than sufficient adequate decisions to the folks, and in order that they'll customise the funeral and supply a extra nice farewell with out the concern of dying."
The corporate says its cardboard coffins, when burned through the cremation, emits 87% much less greenhouse fuel in comparison with these product of wooden or wooden substitutes. Every LifeArt coffin weights about 10.5 kilograms (23 kilos), and may carry a physique that weights as much as 200 kilograms (441 kilos).
Hong Kong has reported about 200 deaths every day on common over the previous week as many aged residents who have been unvaccinated die from COVID-19. The surge has put a pressure on mortuaries, and refrigerated containers are getting used to quickly retailer our bodies.
Amid the rising toll, nonprofit Overlook Thee Not, which advises folks on their decisions for final rites, purchased 300 cardboard coffins and caskets to both ship to hospitals or give to households who want them.
"We've been selling environmental-friendly and customized funerals. Now we see that Hong Kong wants extra coffins. There should not sufficient coffins for the our bodies in our hospitals," stated Albert Ko, a board director at Overlook Thee Not.
Ko stated a few of the aged who mentioned their final rites with the group have been open-minded and welcoming to the concept of eco-coffins.
"We hope to take this chance to contribute in addition to promote eco-coffins," he stated.
Correction:
This story corrects the identify of Overlook Thee Not on second reference.
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