SINGAPORE - By 2020, people will be able to scatter the ashes of their loved ones inland, besides the current options of scattering ashes at sea or keeping the remains in a niche.
Inland ash scattering will be available at Choa Chu Kang Cemetery Complex in 2020 and Mandai Crematorium and Columbarium Complex in 2021, said the National Environment Agency (NEA) in a press release on Friday (June 22).
The decision followed a series of consultations conducted after some members of the public expressed interest in having inland ash-scattering services in Singapore.
The consultations took place from August to December last year, and involved various religious groups, after-death care service providers and the public, said NEA.
They were consulted on various aspects of inland ash-scattering services, such as design criteria, user experience, operational procedures and booking arrangements, as well as cultural and religious needs.
The groups suggested, for example, that the scattering of ashes should be respectful and dignified, and a facility should be secular and open to all faiths.
"Overall, the industry and key stakeholders welcomed the provision of inland ash-scattering services at government-run facilities as an additional option for the management of cremated human remains," said NEA.
The agency will be calling tenders from this year for the design and development works for the two facilities.
Other places that practise inland ash scattering include South Korea, China, Taiwan, the United States and Australia.
