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Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust: Is scattering garden the sustainable destination for cremated ashes?

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Abstract

Cremation is commonly practiced around the world because it requires small space for the disposal of ashes. Among various options for ash disposal, many people choose to scatter the ashes of their loved ones in a scattering garden. What are the impacts of ash scattering on the vegetation of the garden? Is scattering garden a sustainable solution to the disposal of cremated ashes? This study aimed at answering these questions by characterizing and assessing the vegetation performance of a scattering garden using remote sensing techniques and field measurements. The results indicated that, overall, approximately half of vegetation was degraded to either unhealthy or bare soil. The area of bare soil in the lawns of high scattering level was larger than that of low scattering level. Furthermore, the belowground biomass of vegetation in the lawns of high scattering level was significantly lower than that of low scattering level. It is concluded that the current practice of ash scattering in Hong Kong was not sustainable and the intensity of impacts was dependent upon the level of ash scattering. The findings of this study may provide a reference for the policy and management of ash scattering in Hong Kong and other cities around the world.

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Data availability

The ownership of the data belongs to the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government. The data that support the findings of this study are available on request from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

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Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to Ms. Joni Fung Mei Wong and Ms. Rebecca Cheuk Yan Lee for field sampling and laboratory analysis. The author is also grateful to Dr. Frankie Kwan Kit Wong, Dr. Choi Kai Hang, and Ms. Yuen Ting Wong for image analysis. Thanks are given to Mr. Andrew Yan To Ng for polishing and editing the manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by a research fund (Ref: FEHD A&D SDT 31-138/8/1) from the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government.

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  1. Graduate Institute of Earth Science, Chinese Culture University, Taipei, Taiwan

    Sai Leung Ng

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  1. Sai Leung Ng
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Correspondence to Sai Leung Ng.

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Ng, S.L. Ashes to ashes, and dust to dust: Is scattering garden the sustainable destination for cremated ashes?. Environ Sci Pollut Res 29, 75248–75257 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-022-20999-0

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