In Hong Kong they use cardboard coffins due to the number of deaths during the new COVID-19 outbreak

The deadliest outbreak of COVID-19 in Hong Kong has claimed about 6,000 lives so far this year, so coffins are becoming scarce in the city.

Authorities have rushed to order more coffins, and the government has said that 1,200 arrived last week and more will soon be delivered.

Cremation is a common funeral practice in this territory due to population density and space restrictions, and coffins are generally made of wood or wooden substitutes.

In response to the shortage of coffins due to the pandemic, some companies are offering alternatives. An example is an environmentally friendly cardboard coffin.

LifeArt Asia produces cardboard coffins made from recycled wood fiber that can be personalized with an exterior design. Its factory in Aberdeen, a district in southern Hong Kong, can produce up to 50 a day.

Its CEO, Wilson Tong, said that there is still some opposition to cardboard coffins. “(People feel that) it's a little embarrassing to use so-called paper coffins,” Tong said.

But he stressed that the company has designs that can reflect the religion or hobbies of the deceased and can even customize the color. “So that gives people more than enough options, so they can customize the funeral and offer a more pleasant farewell without the fear of death,” he added.

The company claims that its cardboard coffins, when incinerated in cremation, emit 87% less greenhouse gases compared to those made of wood or wood substitutes. Each LifeArt coffin weighs about 10.5 kilograms (23 pounds) and can support a body up to 200 kilograms (441 pounds).

New wave in Hong Kong

Hong Kong has reported an average of about 200 deaths a day during the last week, with many unvaccinated elderly people dying of COVID-19. The surge has increased pressure on funeral homes, and refrigerated containers are now being used to temporarily store bodies.

Faced with the growing number of victims, Forget Thee Not, a non-profit organization that advises families on their funeral plans, purchased 300 cardboard coffins to send to hospitals or donate to families in need.

“We have been promoting personalized, environmentally friendly funerals. Now we see that Hong Kong needs more coffins. There aren't enough coffins for the bodies in our hospitals,” said Albert Ko, a director of the board of directors of Forget Thee Not.

Ko said that some elders who have talked about their funeral plans with the organization have shown openness to ecological coffins and welcomed the idea.

“We hope to take this opportunity to contribute and also to promote eco-friendly coffins,” he said.

(By Alice Fung and Janic Lo - AP)

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