Environment-friendly burials promoted in Zhejiang  

浙江多地陆续实行海葬 绍兴海葬可补贴5000元

清明将至，殡葬、祭祀再次成为人们热议的话题。24日，记者了解到，近年来，浙江嘉兴、温州、台州、绍兴等地陆续推出节地、环保的海葬服务，绍兴本地居民海葬还可领取5000元补贴。

Hangzhou (Ecns) - With Tomb-Sweeping Festival approaching, funeral- and burial-related issues have once again become hot topics.

In recent years, cities such as Jiaxing, Wenzhou, Taizhou and Shaoxing, in East China's Zhejiang province, have launched environment-friendly sea burial services.

Jiaxing launched its sea burial service in 2009 for many reasons, including the shortage of soil. So far, 118 residents have been buried at sea, said Wang Weiping from the Jiaxing funeral management office.

In Shaoxing, a 5,000-yuan subsidy is offered to local residents for sea burials, a funeral parlor worker said.

Zhejiang's capital city, Hangzhou, doesn't have its own sea burial service, but since 1989, "river burials" have been performed there. On March 27, the city will see the 20th ceremony of river burials.