Cremation should be affordable and environmentally friendly, humanists say

The Malta Humanist Association said it was committed to cooperating with the government on the forthcoming cremation Bill piloted by Labour MP Rosianne Cutajar

The Malta Humanist Association has urged the government to introduce an affordable and environmentally form of cremation
The Malta Humanist Association has urged the government to introduce an affordable and environmentally form of cremation

The Malta Humanist Association has insisted that cremation should be introduced to Malta in a manner that makes it affordable and environmentally friendly.

The MHA said in a statement that it was committed to cooperating with the government on the upcoming Cremation Bill, noting that it had held discussions in this regard with MP Rosianne Cutajar, who is spearheading the bill.

During the meeting, the MHA said it had brought up “some fundamental issues” it felt were important.

The MHA insisted that “cremation should be as environmentally friendly as possible and as an alternative to burial that can help the country retain its very limited land.

“The process should be as energy efficient as possible and with the least emissions possible. Eco-friendly caskets may be used,” the MHA said.

It urged the government to consider the use of bio-cremation, which it said uses much less energy and produced considerably less emissions.

The MHA also insisted that cremation be accessible to all, “by families of any background and means”.

“Its introduction should bring down the general costs of funerals and burials, with the help of the state if necessary, to encourage greener funerals and reduce the burden on families when they are already experiencing loss and grief.”

Moreover, the association proposed that ashed remains be given to the next of kin, “to be kept and disposed of as they wish or as per the wishes of the deceased”.

“We think that by law, one should also be able to consider appointing a "post-mortem curator" to intervene at the point of death, to make sure that the deceased's body is treated as per the deceased's will.”

Finally, the MHA suggested that the state could provide an “adequate and dignified venue” that is able to host funerals of “any worldview”.

“The majority Catholic population has ample choice on places of worship, while we lack even a single place that can host a Humanist or other life-stance funeral,” the MHA said, adding that such a venue could replace an “average Catholic temple of worship in terms of person capacity”.

The MHA said it sincerely hoped that its “ethical proposals” are taken into consideration in the drafting of the proposed bill.

“We firmly believe that their implementation will not only be beneficial to the quality of life, social justice and the culture of the Maltese people, but will also be implementing further the values of Religious Freedom in Malta.”