Funeral home single-use item ban difficult as items come from bereaved families and corporate services

The pervasive reliance on single-use items in South Korean funeral homes presents a significant obstacle to environmental sustainability, a problem deeply intertwined with the very structure of the funeral service industry. As highlighted, a substantial portion of these disposable goods originates not from the bereaved families themselves, but from funeral service providers and corporate welfare programs. This external supply chain complicates efforts to transition to reusable alternatives, as funeral homes often find it difficult to refuse items provided by employers or contracted service providers.

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It is common for individuals to use prepaid or post-paid funeral services, or for companies to contract with funeral service providers as a form of employee welfare.

Efforts by institutions like Samsung Medical Center to engage with funeral service associations and request alternatives are commendable, but they reveal the limitations of voluntary measures. The article points out the lack of a clear strategy to prevent corporate-branded disposable items from being sent directly to funeral homes. This suggests a need for more systemic interventions, potentially involving regulations that address the supply side of these disposable goods, rather than solely focusing on the demand within the funeral home itself.

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We have no good solution for when disposable items are sent from companies.

Beyond the practicalities of container choices, the discussion touches upon a deeper cultural issue. The current funeral culture is described as overly commercialized and standardized, a stark contrast to the more 추모 (remembrance)-focused and rational approach advocated by experts. As family structures evolve, with a rise in single-person households, traditional funeral practices like the extended three-day wake and the 'han-sang cha-rim' (a table full of dishes) serving style may become increasingly impractical and outdated. This cultural shift is essential for truly reducing waste and making funeral services more meaningful and less resource-intensive.

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It would be better to use the money spent on these disposable items, which have company names printed on them, for providing reusable containers or condolence money.

Drawing parallels with Japan, where non-profit organizations play a significant role in the funeral industry and ESG performance is increasingly scrutinized, the article calls for a greater sense of public service in South Korea's funeral sector. Strengthening the public nature of funeral services could pave the way for more sustainable and ethically-minded practices, aligning with broader societal goals of environmental protection and a more thoughtful approach to remembrance.

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In Japan, many funeral businesses are run by non-profit organizations (NPOs), and companies above a certain size are required to include environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance in their financial reports. The funeral industry needs to be strengthened in terms of public service.