Green funerals in Singapore

RIP: Going green for last journey
Tania Tan, Straits Times 7 Jan 08;

Eco-coffins made of waste wood burn up to twice as fast; 100 have been sold here

MEDICAL doctor Tan Chek Wee believes in 'going green' - he wants to make his last journey a green one.

'I've told my family that I want an eco-coffin,' said Dr Tan, 52, who works part-time at three non-profit clinics.

Made from material such as recycled paper or chipboard, ecocoffins are easy on the environment as they spare trees from the axe.

These eco-friendly caskets also burn up to twice as fast as ordinary wooden coffins, which means less carbon emission. Chipboard, for instance, burns about 10 to 25 per cent faster.

Over 16,000 regular wood coffins were used here last year, with each requiring about 80kg of virgin timber to construct.

'Since I want to be cremated, I prefer not to kill a tree in the process,' said Dr Tan.

For religions that allow it, cremations are strongly encouraged here due to land scarcity, said the National Environment Agency. Religions including Islam and Judaism require followers to bury their dead.

Eco-coffins and so-called 'green funerals' have caught on among the environmentally conscious in the United States and Britain, with some opting for woodland burial sites, and using freshly planted trees instead of headstones to mark graves.

Though going green in this manner may not have quite caught on here yet, Singapore-based TentTech has already sold about 100 of its green coffins.

Produced from waste wood or timber from tree branches instead of trunks, its caskets are a more sustainable alternative to traditional coffins, said Dr Ng Khee Yang, the R&D consultant of the year-old company.

'There just isn't enough forest to supply us with wood in the long run,' he said.

But demand for eco-coffins has yet to take off here, conceded Dr Ng.

Undertakers agree.

'Imported green coffins are just too expensive,' said Mr William Quek, the managing director of Union Casket.

'We also don't want costs to become an extra burden for families who are already going through difficult times,' he added.

A Singapore Casket spokesman also cited lack of demand for not offering eco-friendly caskets to customers.

Green paper coffins sold elsewhere - made of densely compressed paper pulp - cost anywhere between US$600 (S$800) and US$3,000.

In Britain, some designs are even leaf-shaped instead of angular boxes.

While TentTech's price range is between $300 and $1,000, it noted that there is limited demand, as there appears to be a perception that its prices are on the 'high side'.

Wooden coffins here cost between $300 and $6,000 each. They are often carved locally from wood imported from Malaysia and Indonesia.

With shiny veneered surfaces, some come with satin cushioned upholstery, gilded religious carvings and gold- or silver-plated handles.

The more intricate the detailing and design of the coffin, the higher its price.

But such caskets are not for Dr Tan: all he wants is an environmentally friendly one for his final moment.

'I've always been a practical man,' he said. 'If my ashes can be used as fertiliser, that's even better.'