Macao to introduce tree burial service from September

Macao Special Administrative Region (SAR) Civic and Municipal Affairs Bureau (IACM) to roll out a free eco-burial service called "tree burial" from September 1, according to the bureau's latest press release.

The IACM is developing a park inside a municipal cemetery in Taipa which offers 440 free tree burial services to local residents in the first batch.

As a new type of green burial way, tree burial initiated by the bureau refers to bury the bone ashes under a tree after cremation, which takes the dead back to nature in a more environment-friendly way, Liang Guanfeng, official from the local civil affairs department told Xinhua by telephone.

Macao, one of the world's most densely populated areas, is narrow in space with increasing population, said Liang, adding that the tree burial service is a pioneer in Macao's burial reform to resolve the problem of the scarce land resources in the future.

According to Liang, 70 percent of Macao people chose cremation than tomb burial where the price of private graveyards ranges from 40,000 to millions patacas depending on the area. People are interested in the green funerals, and dozens of citizens have advanced registration of tree burial for their late relatives.

The IACM expected tree burials would provide an effective means for ensuring the protection of the environment and land resources.