At a seminar on April 15, representatives from the Government Office, departments of Natural Resources and Environment, and the business community discussed cremation amid limited land funds and sustainable development.

Nguyen Van Thanh, director general of Hop Luc JSC said, “This is really a convenient and civilised form of burial for both the deceased and their relatives. Although it is a sensitive issue, it shows good social effects after many years of implementation, changing people's perception and ideology. This is a civilised service, contributing to protecting the living environment, saving land, and improving cultural life.”

Representatives from state agencies and business discuss cremation in Vietnam

Representatives of the departments of natural resources and environment in the provinces of Ha Nam, Hai Duong, Quang Binh, and Quang Ninh also shared about the performance of cremation. They have plans to replicate it in the future.

To tap into this trend, Multinational Corporation Paul & Jack, the producer of the Sweden TABO crematorium with Swedish technology, is expanding its presence in Vietnam and other countries. The TABO crematorium with Swedish technology is now considered the most advanced technology in this field.

Hop Luc has been cooperating with many localities to replicate cremation using high technology.

In recent years, along with socioeconomic development, people's awareness of cremation has significantly increased. Along with that, the pressure on limited land funds, the environment, and the high cost of burial made many cities and provinces encourage investment in cremation facilities.

Up to now, the National Assembly, the government and ministries and agencies have issued many laws, decrees, circulars, and policies to encourage cremation. For example, the Prime Minister's Decision No. 2282/QD-TTg dated November 2013 on encouraging the use of cremation.

Between 2010 and 2019, use of cremation increased remarkably. By the end of 2022, the rate of using cremation in localities has gradually increased, of which Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City are the two localities with the highest rate of using cremation, with over 70 per cent. Some provinces nearby Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City also have a high cremation rate, such as Bac Ninh, Vinh Phuc, Ha Nam, Hung Yen, Binh Duong, Dong Nai, and Vung Tau.

More and more cemeteries are applying modern cremation technologies to optimise energy and save the environment. They include the Phuc Lac Vien incinceration station in Quang Thanh Ward of the central province of Thanh Hoa, which opened in 2014.