CIRCULAR

SANITATION IN BURIAL AND CREMATION

Pursuant to Law on Environmental Protection No. 72/2020/QH14 dated November 17, 2020;

Pursuant to Law on Prevention of Infectious Diseases dated November 21, 2007;

Pursuant to Decree No. 75/2017/ND-CP dated June 20, 2017 of Government on functions, tasks, powers, and organizational structure of Ministry of Health;

At request of Director General of Health Environment Management Agency,

Minister of Health promulgates Circular on sanitation in burial and cremation.

Chapter 1.

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Article 1. Scope

This Circular deals with sanitation in preservation, embalming, burial, cremation, and transportation of dead bodies and skeletal remains.

Article 2. Regulated entities

This Circular applies to Vietnamese and foreign agencies, organizations, and individuals related to sanitation matter in preservation, embalming, burial, cremation, and transportation of dead bodies and skeletal remains in Vietnamese territory.

Article 3. Definition

In this Circular, terms below are construed as follows:

1. “dead body” (corpse) refers to the body of a deceased person.

2. “skeletal remains” refer to bones of a deceased person in bone collecting process.

3. “cremains” refer to the remains of a human body after cremating their dead body and skeletal remains.

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5. “shrouding” refers to procedures to be adopted in order to move the dead body into a coffin.

6. “burial” refers to the act of placing a dead body or skeletal remains or cremains of a deceased person into the ground.

7. “cremation” refers to the act of incinerating a dead body or skeletal remains into cremains at a high temperature.

8. “bone collecting” refers to the act of moving skeletal remains for further burial or other forms of final disposition.

Chapter 2.

SANITATION IN BURIAL AND CREMATION OF PERSONS WHO DIED OF CAUSES OTHER THAN DANGEROUS DISEASES

Article 4. Sanitation in embalming

1. Embalming shall last no longer than 48 hours since the time of death without refrigeration.

2. Embalming shall last no longer than 7 days since the time of death in 4^oC or lower.

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4. In case many people are killed as a result of natural disasters or emergencies, embalming duration shall be decided by individuals in charge of remediation affairs.

Article 5. Sanitation in shrouding

1. Enshroud in accordance with local customs, tradition, and religion. Any seepage of bodily fluid must be cleaned completely at shrouding sites.

2. Close the coffin. Check and seal the coffins to prevent leakage, seepage, crack, and damage during transportation.

Article 6. Sanitation in transportation of corpses, skeletal remains, and cremains

1. Sanitation in corpse transportation:

a) When transport corpses within Vietnamese territory: during transportation via road, the corpses must be wrapped in watertight materials and carried by separate vehicles. During transportation via airway, waterway, or railway, the corpses must be placed in separate and closed coffins;

b) When transport corpses across borders: the corpses must be placed in 3-layer coffins: the inner layer is made of zinc or other materials that can withstand load, prevent leak, is lined with desiccant and welded tight; the middle layer is made of wood; the outer layer is made of plywood;

c) In case of heavy casualties caused by natural disasters or emergencies, the use of transport vehicles shall be decided by heads of organizations in charge of remediation affairs as long as the corpses are tightly wrapped to prevent leakage, seepage, and damage during transportation.

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Article 7. Sanitation for individuals engaging in embalming, shrouding, transportation, burial, and cremation of corpses, skeletal remains

Individuals engaging in embalming, shrouding, transportation of corpses and skeletal remains, burial, and cremation must wear face masks and gloves throughout the process. Upon finishing, wash hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

Article 8. Sanitation of funeral parlors, burial grounds, cremation areas, instruments and equipment serving burial, cremation

1. Funeral parlors and funeral areas must have their floor and walls surrounding the corpses and items making contact with the corpses cleaned properly.

2. Tools and equipment serving burial and cremation must be cleaned thoroughly once burial and/or cremation are done.

3. Keep burial grounds and cremation areas clean; collect, transport, and treat wastes in accordance with regulations and law on waste management.

Article 9. Sanitation in bone collecting

1. Interval between burial and bone collecting: depending on soil quality, traditions, customs, and religion of the locals, interval between burial and bone collecting must not be lower than 36 months.

2. Wastes produced during bone collecting must be collected, transported, and treated in accordance with regulations on waste management.

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4. Individuals performing bone collecting must wear face masks and gloves throughout the process. Upon finishing, wash hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

Article 10. Sanitation in burial and cremation of persons who died of causes other than dangerous diseases in areas under quarantine

1. Sanitation in embalming, shrouding, corpse transportation, burial, and cremation of the deceased in areas under quarantine shall conform to Article 4 through Article 8 hereof.

2. Funerals shall be organized in a manner that conforms to epidemic control regulations of areas under quarantine.

3. Sanitation for vehicles and individuals engaging in transportation of corpses out of areas under quarantine shall conform to Article 14 hereof.

Article 11. Sanitation in burial and cremation of heavy casualties caused by natural disasters, emergencies and decomposing corpses

1. In case of heavy casualties caused by natural disasters and emergencies:

a) Wrap the corpses in materials that can prevent leakage, seepage, and damage;

b) Sanitation in embalming, shrouding, corpse transportation, burial, and cremation shall conform to Article 4 through Article 8 hereof.

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a) Sanitation in processing, embalming, and shrouding shall conform to Article 12 and Article 13 hereof;

b) Sanitation in funeral parlors, burial grounds, cremation areas, tools, and equipment serving burial, cremation, and transportation of corpses shall conform to Clause 1 Article 6 and Article 8 hereof;

c) Individuals engaging in transportation, burial, and cremation of corpses shall conform to Article 7 hereof.

Chapter 3.

SANITATION IN BURIAL AND CREMATION OF PERSONS WHO DIED OF DANGEROUS DISEASES

Article 12. Corpse processing

1. Relatives of the deceased or individuals discovering corpses of the deceased who died of dangerous diseases must immediately inform People’s Committees of communes where the corpses are discovered.

2. Individuals processing corpses must receive training in disease prevention, control, and corpse processing. Wear proper personal protective equipment when processing corpses (protective suit, eyewear, rubber gloves, medical face masks, shoes or boots).

3. Wrap corpses with body bags made of non-absorbent, non-transparent, firm materials with thickness ≥ 150µm; zip fasteners must be tight and fixed by strings or tapes; sterilize exterior of body bags with 0,1% activated Chlorine solution. In case body bags are not available, tightly wrap corpses with 2 layers of cloth then 2 layers of nylon; sterilize exterior of the first nylon layer with 0,1% activated Chlorine solution. Follow suit for the second nylon layer.

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5. Once the work is done, individuals carrying out the work must take off personal protective equipment and treat them as infectious wastes; wash hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

6. In case dangerous diseases require corpses to be processed in manners other than those mentioned under this Article, comply with professional guidance of Ministry of Health.

Article 13. Sanitation in embalming and shrouding

1. Embalming shall last no longer than 24 hours since death or corpse discovery. Embalming must take place at -10^oC or lower in order to last longer than 24 hours.

2. Close the coffin. Seal the coffin tightly to prevent leakage, seepage, and damage during transportation.

3. Wastes produced in the process must be collected and treated in the same manner as infectious wastes.

Article 14. Sanitation in transportation of coffins containing corpses

1. Passengers of vehicles carrying coffins containing corpses muse wear proper personal protective equipment (eyewear, rubber gloves, medical face masks, shoes or boots).

2. As soon as coffins reach burial grounds or cremation locations, the vehicles carrying the coffins must be sterilized with 0,1% activated Chlorine solution, 70% alcohol, or surface disinfectant preparations.

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Article 15. Sanitation in funeral organization

1. Individuals organizing and participating in funeral must adopt epidemic control measures in accordance with guidance of Ministry of Health.

2. Sanitation of funeral parlors and funeral locations must conform to Clause 1 Article 8 hereof; wastes that make direct contact with the coffin shall be collected and treated in the same manner as infectious wastes.

Article 16. Sanitation in burial and cremation

1. During burial process, dust lime powder around and in the grave prior to lowering the coffins into the grave. Prior to filling the grave, dust lime powder around and on the coffins.

2. Once burial or cremation process is complete, sanitize and sterilize equipment involved in burial process, transportation to crematoriums, burial grounds, cremation areas with 0,1% activated Chlorine solution, 70% alcohol, or surface disinfectant preparations.

3. Persons engaging in burial and cremation must wear proper personal protective equipment (eyewear, rubber gloves, medical face masks, shoes or boots) throughout the process. Once the work is done, take off personal protective equipment and wash hands with soap or hand sanitizer.

4. Wastes making direct contact with coffins and personal protective equipment shall be collected and treated in the same manner as infectious wastes.

Article 17. Sanitation in bone collecting

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Chapter 4.

IMPLEMENTATION

Article 18. Responsibilities for implementation

1. Responsibilities of Health Environment Management Agency: directing, guiding disseminating, and inspecting implementation of this Circular.

2. Responsibilities of Departments of Health of provinces and central-affiliated cities:

a) directing, guiding, disseminating, and examining implementation of this Circular;

b) taking charge and cooperating with Departments of Natural Resources and Environment in directing entities to inspect sanitation in burial and cremation in their provinces and central-affiliated cities;

c) disseminating, guiding, and mobilizing the community to ensure sanitation in burial and cremation in their provinces and central-affiliated cities;

d) organizing training in epidemic control and handling of corpses of persons who died of dangerous diseases;

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Article 19. Entry into force

1. This Circular comes into force from January 10, 2022.

2. Circular No. 02/2009/TT-BYT dated May 26, 2009 of Minister of Health expires from the effective date hereof.

Article 20. Organization for implementation

Director General of Health Environment Management Agency, Chief of the Ministry Office, Chief Ministry Inspectorates, Directors, Directors General, General Directors of Departments and General Departments affiliated to Ministry of Health are responsible for the implementation of this Circular.

Difficulties that arise during the implementation of this Circular should be reported to the Ministry for consideration./.

PP. MINISTER
DEPUTY MINISTER




Nguyen Truong Son

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