NEA issues guidelines on the usage of light-emitting wreaths and inflatables at funeral wakes
[Updated on 8 June 2022, 1500hrs] On 7 June 2022, the National Environmental Agency issues the guidelines on the usage of light-emitting wreaths and inflatable at funeral wakes (see below for NEA's reply to Death Kopitiam).
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In an editorial post on 19 December 2021, Death Kopitiam Singapore had called upon the National Environmental Agency (NEA) to take steps to “limit the number of LED wreaths used at a funeral”, and one of our proposals was that these wreaths “should not occupy more than a prescribed space measured in square metres, depending on the size and location of the funeral”. We reiterated this call in a separate post on our Facebook page late last month, i.e. we were of the view that light-emitting wreaths at funeral wakes should be regulated.
[๐๐๐๐ญ๐ก ๐๐จ๐ฉ๐ข๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฆ] ๐๐ก๐ ๐๐ซ๐ฎ๐ญ๐๐ฅ ๐ข๐ง๐ฏ๐๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฌ๐๐ง๐ฌ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ง๐ข๐ญ๐ฒ The introduction of LED wreaths, introduced in 2019, into...
Posted by Death Kopitiam Singapore ๆญปไบกๅๅกๅบ on Thursday, 26 May 2022
๏ปฟOn 27 May 2022, it came to our attention that several funeral parlours, including Sin Ming Funeral Parlour, Singapore Casket (both of which are run by your Members) and Singapore Funeral Parlour at Tampines had at different points 2019 prohibited the use of these LED light-emitting wreaths within and outside their premises.
On 1 June 2022, in a letter sent by Ngee Ann Kongsi that was seen by Death Kopitiam Singapore, it was announced that “LED wreaths are not permitted inside and outside Teochew Funeral Parlour” due to concerns over “fire safety”.
In an interview with the Straits Times, Singapore Casket's assistant general manager, Mr Calvin Tang, said that the company had first banned these items in 2019.
To seek further clarification, Death Kopitiam Singapore subsequently wrote to all the Town Councils in Singapore on 30 May 2022 with our questions, but we did not receive a reply.
๐๐: ๐๐๐ ๐ฐ๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐ญ ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐๐ซ๐๐ฅ๐ฌ Earlier today, our editor wrote to all the Town Councils in Singapore regarding the use of...
Posted by Death Kopitiam Singapore ๆญปไบกๅๅกๅบ on Monday, 30 May 2022
๏ปฟThe following day, on 31 May 2022, we wrote to NEA, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and the Association of Funeral Directors, Singapore, with our questions. We, again, did not receive a reply.
In our email to NEA, we asked whether the agency will require the "Association of Funeral Directors and/or suppliers to craft guidelines for the use and deployment of these LED funeral wreaths" and what was the agency's position on "the light pollution that emanates from these set-ups, often affecting residents living at the lower levels of a HDB block".
In an email letter, dated 2 June 2022, seen by Death Kopitiam Singapore, that was sent to “funeral directors and funeral parlour operators” by NEA, it was stated that “since March 2022, NEA has been working with the Association of Funeral Directors Singapore (AFD) to jointly develop the Guidelines for the Usage of Light Emitting Wreaths and Inflatables at Funeral Wakes”.
NEA developed these guidelines in consultation with the Singapore Buddhist Federation and Taoist Federation (Singapore) and had engaged the Singapore Federation of Chinese Clan Associations (SFCCA), the statement added.
As stated in its statement, it does appear that NEA is of the view that "the use of light emitting wreaths and inflatables in an excessive manner have resulted in growing public dis-amenities and safety concerns", which includes but not limited to "light and noise pollution, obstruction to pedestrian traffic, obstruction of motorist line of sight, potential power trips and trip/falling hazard".
As such, the guidelines, according to NEA, "are intended to provide guidance to premises owners and the industry on the quantity and operational conditions for light emitting wreaths and inflatables deployed at the funeral wakes".
A briefing session presumably conducted by NEA will be held on 10 June 2022 (Saturday), at 11am. A Microsoft Teams link and details for this briefing session were provided by the agency.
NEA also said in the same statement that “all the Town Councils have been informed of the guidelines”.
We welcome these guidelines and believe that they are a step in the right direction. We look forward to reading about them.
[๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐] - ๐๐ง๐ฏ๐ข๐ญ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐๐ฌ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐จ๐ง ๐๐ฎ๐ข๐๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฌ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐ฌ๐๐ ๐ ๐จ๐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ก๐ญ ๐๐ฆ๐ข๐ญ๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ซ๐๐๐ญ๐ก๐ฌ ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ฅ๐๐ญ๐๐๐ฅ๐๐ฌ ๐๐ญ...
Posted by Death Kopitiam Singapore ๆญปไบกๅๅกๅบ on Thursday, 2 June 2022
On 7 June 2022, the National Environmental Agency issues the guidelines for guidelines on the usage of light-emitting wreaths and inflatable at funeral wakes.
In an email reply to Death Kopitiam Singapore on 8 June 2022, NEA stated:
"The National Environment Agency and Association of Funeral Directors Singapore have jointly developed a set of guidelines on the use of light emitting wreaths and inflatables at wakes, in consultation with relevant stakeholders and religious organisations. The guidelines have been shared with the Town Councils and religious organisations, and NEA is progressively briefing the stakeholders on the guidelines. The guidelines aim to provide recommendations to premises owners and the industry on the use and deployment of light emitting wreaths and inflatables at wakes to prevent issues such as light and noise pollution, obstruction to pedestrian traffic, and potential circuit breaker trips. NEA is working with Town Councils to incorporate the guidelines in the terms and conditions for a permit to hold wakes, as many wakes are held at communal spaces in HDB estates."
๏ปฟTop image: The Straits Times
