Japan warns 'Don't put your face in coffin'

Sep 22, 2023 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Unexpected accidents can happen while giving a final farewell to a loved one, with three deaths reported in Japan from inhaling carbon dioxide inside coffins.

The Consumer Affairs Agency has revealed that from 2020 to 2021, there were three deaths in Japan suspected to be carbon dioxide poisonings caused by dry ice.

Dry ice is placed inside the coffin to preserve the body, causing the coffin to fill up with carbon dioxide.

In an experiment conducted by the National Consumer Affairs Center, it was found that when dry ice is placed inside the coffin, the concentration of carbon dioxide exceeded 30 percent after 20 minutes and went up to 90 percent after 4 hours. A concentration of 30 percent carbon dioxide is a level at which consciousness can be lost immediately.

The Consumer Affairs Agency is urging caution, advising people not to bring their faces close to coffins and to ensure proper ventilation in the room.

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