Capacity for Inland Ash Scattering as Main Method of Managing Cremated Remains and Provision of Opt-out Option
Ministry of Sustainability and the EnvironmentSpeakers
Summary
This question concerns Ms Carrie Tan’s inquiry about ramping up inland ash scattering (IAS) capacity and whether it could become the default method for managing cremated remains. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng replied that while a second facility will open in 2025, there are no plans for an opt-out system due to cultural sensitivities. He noted that although IAS is 40% cheaper than a columbarium niche, the take-up rate remains relatively low, increasing slightly from 7.1% in 2022 to 8.8% in 2023. Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey Yam Keng highlighted ongoing efforts to educate the public through religious leaders and expressed openness to holding community talks for end-of-life planning. Ultimately, the government aims to encourage land-efficient options while continuing to respect the varied religious practices and preferences of Singaporeans during the bereavement process.
Transcript
3 Ms Carrie Tan asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment in view of rising land demands for storing cremation niches and urns (a) how quickly can the Ministry ramp up the capacity for inland ash scattering as the main method for the management of cremated remains; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider launching a programme to make inland ash scattering the default method for managing remains of non-Muslim Singaporeans and provide an opt-out option to those who do not prefer it.
The Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (Mr Baey Yam Keng) (for the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment): The National Environment Agency (NEA) has been offering Inland Ash Scattering (IAS) as an option for cremated ashes since May 2021. We have and will continue to encourage the take-up of IAS by the public.
There are currently sufficient time slots available at the Garden of Peace located in Choa Chu Kang Cemetery for those who choose to scatter the ashes of their deceased family members. A second IAS facility, the Garden of Serenity at the new Mandai Crematorium Complex, is scheduled to be opened in 2025. This will further increase our capacity for IAS.
For many Singaporeans, managing the cremated remains of their loved ones is a sensitive and emotive issue. We have been working with religious leaders and the community to raise awareness of IAS where it is not prohibited by the respective religions, while still continuing to respect the preferences and religious practices of the deceased and their bereaved families. Presently, we do not have any plans to make IAS the default option for managing cremated ashes.
Mr Speaker: Ms Tan.
Ms Carrie Tan (Nee Soon): I thank Senior Parliamentary Secretary Baey for his reply. My question is whether the Ministry has set any specific goals in terms of targets to reach in the next five, 10 or 15 years for the take-up rate of inland ash scattering, and whether the Ministry has any plans to accelerate the conversations in society about this as a preferred method for treating remains, in view of the land scarcity issue and the competition for land that is required for columbaria.
Mr Baey Yam Keng: Sir, I thank Member Carrie Tan for her interest in this area and on how we can intensify the land use in Singapore. Indeed, IAS takes up much less land. We have provided sufficient capacity. The current Garden of Peace will last us a couple of hundreds of years, but as I have said, the management of family members' cremated remains is a sensitive issue. We have been working with religious leaders and the community to share and raise awareness of such an option and to encourage uptake.
Currently, the fee for the use of the IAS facility is cheaper. It is about 40% cheaper than buying a single niche in a Government columbarium. So, that would nudge the use of such a facility. But even so, in 2022, only about 7.1% of residents whose religions do not require burial opted for IAS. This has increased slightly to 8.8% in 2023. So, there is steady but slow uptake. We will continue to monitor and plan for the future demands for IAS.
Mr Speaker: Ms Tan.
Ms Carrie Tan: I understand that it is a very sensitive topic and even more so, it warrants conversations around it. I am not sure whether the current approach of going through religious leaders and having that conversation at the point of death with loved ones who are remaining is the most appropriate juncture.
Will the Ministry consider putting resources to have perhaps staff or volunteers from the Ministry of Sustainability and the Environment (MSE) to tag onto community talks such as talks that we give on Lasting Powers of Attorney to residents, to help them think about these matters before they reach the end-of-life stage, so that we can help to accelerate people's awareness and have them have time to digest the options and understand the options, and be able to give that instruction to their children? Rather than have the children face that decision at the point of death, when they are already in a lot of grief and may be quite distressed.
Mr Baey Yam Keng: I thank Member for that wonderful suggestion. Indeed, I think we can tap on the community more. So, I would be happy to work with Ms Carrie Tan to host such talks in her community and to promote the awareness of such options.