Singapore weighs legal action as haze turns ‘very unhealthy’

Singapore will “keep its options open” on taking legal action against errant companies as air quality in the city-state deteriorates to very unhealthy levels.

Singapore is collecting data on the haze as it weighs possible action under its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, the minister for sustainability and the environment Grace Fu told local media Wednesday evening.

The law, enacted in 2014, targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires if the resulting haze causes the Pollutant Standards Index, a measure of air quality, to remain in the unhealthy range for 24 hours or more.

The gauge ranged between 125 and 207 across the island as of 8am local time, with the western region recording the highest reading. Air quality is considered “very unhealthy” when 24-hour PSI levels are 201 and above. A reading above 300 is considered “hazardous” and would trigger school closures.

The hourly air quality gauge improved overnight, after reaching 288 in the west on Wednesday. The readings ranged from 60 to 99 as of 8am local time, National Environment Agency data showed.

Several Southeast Asian countries have been blanketed for weeks by toxic haze from forest fires in Indonesia. Governments are under pressure to step up and coordinate a response to what’s shaping up to be the worst such episode in more than a decade.

“We hope that the Indonesian authorities are able to contain the fires. It’s a very difficult year because of El Nino,” Fu said. “The weather has been very dry, and we know that the issues are very complex. We wish them well, and we stand ready to assist them where we can.”

Fu said there has not been any update from the neighbouring country so far.

Environmental group Greenpeace has identified more than 20 companies, including several with links to Malaysia and Singapore, whose land concessions contained sources of smoke from the Indonesian fires.

Those found guilty under Singapore’s transboundary haze law face fines of up to S$100,000 (US$77,855) a day, capped at S$2 million in total.