Hong Kong turns to cardboard coffins as Covid claims 6,000 lives this year

The city is gripped by its deadliest wave of Covid-19 since the pandemic began

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  Wilson Tong, CEO of LifeArt Asia, left, talks to a reporter who tries out a catholic-designed paper coffin at Tong's factory in Hong Kong, Friday, March 18, 2022. Hong Kong is running short of coffins during its deadliest outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, which has cost about 6,000 lives so far this year. LifeArt, a company in Hong Kong is trying to make an alternative, cardboard coffin, which it says is environmentally-friendly. (AP Photo / Kin Cheung)

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  A worker lifts up a paper coffin at LifeArt's factory in Hong Kong. LifeArt says its alternative, cardboard coffins are environmentally friendly.

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  A pile of cardboard ready to make the coffins.

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  LifeArt Asia's cardboard coffins are made of recycled wood fibre that can be customised with designs on the exterior and the company can make up to 50 coffins a day.

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  Mr Tong and an employee move a blue floral coffin on top of other paper coffins at the factory in Hong Kong.

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  Mr Tong looks at a catalogue showing more than 40 different choices of coffin designs as a machine prints the lily design.

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  The company said its cardboard coffins, when burnt during a cremation, emit 87 per cent less greenhouse gas than those made of wood or wood substitutes.

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  Each LifeArt coffin weighs about 10.5 kilograms and can carry a body weighing up to 200kg.

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  Hong Kong has reported about 200 deaths daily over the past week. The surge has put a strain on mortuaries, with refrigerated containers being used to temporarily store bodies.

Hong Kong is running low on coffins after the city’s deadliest Coronavirus outbreak killed 6,000 people since the beginning of the year.

While authorities bring more in, and they say 1,200 reached the city last week with more on the way, some companies have turned to more readily available eco-coffins made of paper.

With space a major constraint on the island city, cremation is a common funeral practice and coffins are typically made of wood or a substitute.

LifeArt Asia has cardboard coffins made of recycled wood fibre that can be customised with designs on the exterior. In its factory in Aberdeen, a southern district of Hong Kong, they can make up to 50 coffins a day.

While the reality of the situation has left some with little choice, LifeArt chief executive Wilson Tong said there was still reticence from families.

“[People feel that] it’s a little bit shameful to use so-called paper caskets. They feel that this is not very respectful to their loved ones,” Mr Tong said.

But he said that the company has designs that can reflect religion or hobbies and the coffin can have a personalised colour scheme.

“So, it gives more than enough choices for the people, and so that they can customise the funeral and offer a more pleasant farewell.”

The company said its cardboard coffins, when burnt during the cremation, emit 87 per cent less greenhouse gas compared to those made of wood or wood substitutes.

Each LifeArt coffin weighs about 10.5 kilograms and can carry a body weighing up to 200 kilograms.

Hong Kong has reported about 200 deaths daily on average over the past week as many unvaccinated elderly residents die from Covid-19. The surge has put a strain on mortuaries, and refrigerated containers are being used to temporarily store bodies.

Amid the rising toll, non-profit Forget Thee Not, which advises people on their choices for last rites, bought 300 cardboard coffins and caskets to either send to hospitals or give to families who need them.

“We have been promoting environmental-friendly and personalised funerals. Now we see that Hong Kong needs more coffins. There are not enough coffins for the bodies in our hospitals,” said Albert Ko, a board director at Forget Thee Not.

Mr Ko said some of the elderly who discussed their last rites with the organisation have been open-minded and welcoming to the idea of eco-coffins.

“We hope to take this opportunity to contribute as well as promote eco-coffins,” he said.