Haze in Singapore

Braving hazy days and smoggy skies
Visitors make hay though the sunshine is obscured
Jeremy Au Yong Straits Times 22 Oct 10;

IT WAS Alan and Sylvia Wilson's last day in Singapore. The retirees in their 60s were to fly home to England that very night.

So, haze or not, they were going up on the Singapore Flyer.

'It's something we had wanted to do, and fortunately it's still a pleasant ride. It's just a pity about the pictures. I took one of Marina Bay Sands - it was completely grey,' said Mr Wilson yesterday.

While the worsening air quality here kept many Singaporeans indoors, tourists seemed determined not to let it wreck their holiday plans.

It was business as usual at the Singapore Flyer and the Marina Bay Sands (MBS) Skypark, with those manning the counters reporting no drop in business.

One Fullerton was similarly teeming with hundreds of tourists gamely taking pictures against the greyed-out backdrop of the Merlion and the Singapore skyline.

The river cruise boats passing by the area were also mostly full.

For a lot of visitors, it was a case of making hay, even while the sunshine was obscured by smog.

Mr Les Elekes, 56, from Australia went up to the MBS Skypark with his wife hoping for the best.

'I saw a programme on the Discovery Channel on this building so I originally came here expecting a great view. Of course it's disappointing. But since we've flown here to see the building, we thought we'd just come here. At least our holiday on ground level was nice,' he said.

At 6pm, the haze was so bad that those standing on the Skypark could barely make out the giant logo of the National Trades Union Congress on its building a few kilometres away.

At the Universal Studios theme park in Resorts World Sentosa, tourists were also seen braving the hazy air.

Said Ms Kitty Choi, 24, from Hong Kong: 'Singapore's all about clear views and an amazing skyline, so we're really disappointed. I didn't want to bring my kids to Universal Studios today, but its our last day, no more chance.'

Thai tourist Ploy Ratna, 28, went around asking gift shops for masks for her elderly mother, while Korean tourist Kim Soo Hyung, 37, was seen applying eye drops for herself and her children at the park.

She said she regretted coming out to the park.

'Our eyes are dry and we feel tired,' she lamented.

Indonesian Utty Pramastutty Alham, 29, started having second thoughts about going into the park at the gate.

'We can't see far, so we're not sure if we want to pay to go in. Maybe we'll just take a picture at the entrance and leave,' she said.

But there were some tourists who thought nothing of the haze.

Ms Isabelle Meek, 61, a retiree from England, actually had nothing but good things to say about the weather.

'In Britain, when it rains, you can't see a thing. And next week they are forecasting snow. So by comparison, this is wonderful,' she said.

Asked then if the pollution was a concern, she replied simply: 'Well, I've just come from China.'

Professor P.K. Imbrie, 52, an academic from the United States, was also not overly fussed by the weather while taking pictures at One Fullerton.

He said: 'I've been stuck in a conference all day, so I'm just happy to be out.'

It was the same story for Mr Jeeju Sreenivas, 25, from India. He stepped off the Singapore Flyer and decided he would then head over to the MBS Skypark.

'In pictures, the background is a bit hazy but I'm not going to let it stop me,' he said.

But if many tourists were not about to let some smog spoil their fun, Singaporeans were certainly fed-up with it. Many grumbled about the haze and recalled the bad old smoky days back in 1997 and 2006 when the haze hit PSI levels of 226 and 150 respectively.

Retiree Henry Kwa, 78, broke a five-year routine when he decided not to make his daily trip to Bedok market.

'I'm afraid I won't be able to see properly, the haze is making my head ache,' he said.

Student Sheila Eng, 20, tried her best to stay indoors yesterday. 'It felt very hot, and the weather was horrible. I started to get a headache from it. All my friends are feeling unwell with coughs and headaches as well.'

Unsurprisingly, parents were the most worried.

Administrative officer Heryani Abdullah, 43, took urgent leave from work to take care of her son, Hakim, who suffers from asthma. 'He complained of breathing difficulties last night, so I'm very worried it might get worse today. Better to play it safe,' she said.

Playing it safe was also the approach Mrs Caroline Wong took when she made her sons Michael, nine, and Jonathon, 11, put on face masks for their commute to school.

Said the 37-year-old: 'The haze is so bad it smells like second-hand smoke. Tonight when they are back I'm keeping the windows closed and the humidifier on.'

It meant last minute cancellations for people like swimming instructors and tennis coaches.

Swimming instructor Jenny Stewart, 43, said that during her swimming lesson yesterday, a parent came running down to ask if her daughter could be taken out.

'If the haze continues like this, it will definitely affect my swim classes, because people don't want to send their kids out when this could affect their heart and lungs,' she said.

Tennis coach Julian Wong, 26, had to cancel a whole class for adults yesterday after his students pulled out.

He said: 'They were worried they would contract respiratory ailments from the haze. I hope it will all blow over in a matter of days.'

Schools ready to axe outdoor activities
Leow Si Wan Straits Times 22 Oct 10;

STUDENTS at Ngee Ann Secondary School were supposed to spend today at Changi beach but instead, they will be visiting the Newater plant in Bedok and the air force museum in Paya Lebar.

Both are indoors and the school had changed its plans because of the haze.

Schools have said they will cancel all outdoor activities if the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) continues to stay within the unhealthy range of 101 to 200.

Several secondary schools and junior colleges are in the process of returning examination scripts, carrying out post-exam activities or having project work presentations.

Primary school pupils, meanwhile, are not in school this week because of the ongoing Primary School Leaving Examination marking exercise. They will be back to school next week.

School holidays will start next month for primary and secondary schools here.

Secondary schools such as River Valley High, Beatty and Ngee Ann said that they would either stop conducting outdoor activities or move them into indoor sports halls if the haze level shows no sign of improvement, or worsens.

Ngee Ann's principal Adrian Lim said: 'The safety of students is most important when we plan activities.

'And reading that the haze situation has become more severe, we took the decision to change our plans so students can still benefit from our post-exam programmes.'

River Valley's principal Koh Yong Chiah added that the school would make full use of all its air-conditioned classrooms to conduct lessons.

Over at the Singapore Sports School, training for outdoor sports such as sailing and swimming will cease if PSI levels remain in the unhealthy range.

The schools are following the Education Ministry's guidelines, which say that outdoor lessons and sports can continue when the PSI reading is within the moderate range of 51 to 100 and must stop once it exceeds this level.

Tampines Primary's principal Wong Bin Eng said: 'The well-being of children and staff is most important so if PSI levels remain high next week, we will move our outdoor activities into our multi-purpose hall.'

The two largest preschool operators here - PAP Community Foundation (PCF) and NTUC First Campus - will also cancel outdoor activities or move them indoors if PSI levels continue to rise.

The principal of Sparkletots PCF in Eunos, Ms Wendy New, said: 'We will also monitor children closely for difficulties in breathing and switch on more fans if the situation worsens.'

Tertiary institutions such the National University of Singapore and the Nanyang Technological University (NTU) said they would monitor the haze situation closely.

A spokesman for NTU said that the university was currently in recess. 'We will also advise our student bodies not to conduct any mass outdoor activities.'

Asthma and allergy cases up as haze worsens: Docs
Those with respiratory and heart ailments should reduce exertion
Fiona Low Straits Times 22 Oct 10;

DOCTORS here are seeing more patients with haze-related health problems.

Most of them have pre-existing lung conditions such as asthma or have throat and nose conditions.

The haze, which has blown over from forest fires in Sumatra, has brought Singapore's air pollution to its highest level in four years.

Doctors are echoing the National Environment Agency's (NEA) advice, asking those with existing heart or respiratory ailments to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activity for now.

Dr Chng Eng Soon from Chng Clinic and Surgery in Toa Payoh said that he has seen about 20 per cent increase in the number of patients coming in with respiratory problems likely caused by the haze. Most are patients with asthma.

Particulate matter in the air, caused by the haze, is inhaled into airways. A high concentration of this could cause inflammation in the lungs, said Dr Hui Kok Pheng, a former president of the Asthma Association of Singapore.

The haze, which drifted into Singapore last week, worsened on Tuesday when the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) surged to 84. The PSI has now hit the unhealthy range, which falls between 101 and 200.

Doctors said that at this range, children and the elderly are most likely to be affected as their lungs tend to be weaker.

According to an NEA health advisory, sneezing and coughing can be expected among healthy people, while those with underlying conditions could see their symptoms worsen by a bit.

If PSI levels rise to between 201 and 300 - what is termed the very unhealthy range - there will be widespread symptoms of irritation among healthy people. Those with chronic and lung diseases will be moderately affected.

When the reading hits more than 300 - the hazardous range - those who are sick will be significantly affected while healthy people too will find it hard to tolerate the pollutants.

People would be advised to avoid all unnecessary outdoor activities.

Should the PSI rise above 400, the pollution could be life-threatening to the sick and old.

Specialist clinics here are also seeing patients who are coming in with haze-related health problems.

Dr Ong Kian Chung, a respiratory specialist at Mount Elizabeth Medical Centre, saw a total of five patients on Wednesday and yesterday, who said that their existing conditions have worsened. All five had either asthma or nose and sinus conditions.

Doctors said, however, that the situation now is still manageable and people should not panic.

'People should try to avoid rigorous exercise outdoors now that the PSI is above 100, but there is no need for the general public to worry too much yet,' said Dr Ong.

What the PSI means; how it's measured
Amresh Gunasingham Straits Times 22 Oct 10;

SINCE 1991, Singapore has measured air quality using the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), a standard developed by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

Eleven monitoring stations located around the island measure five air pollutants - sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, ozone, carbon monoxide and particulate matter called PM10.

These are dust-like particles of 10 microns, which is a unit of measurement, or smaller.

Doctors say that consuming such pollutants in excess can cause respiratory and cardiovascular ailments.

The pollutant with the highest reading of the five measured pollutants over a day is taken as the PSI reading for the day.

Often this is the PM10, said climatologist Matthias Roth from the National University of Singapore.

Malaysia uses the Air Pollutant Index (API), which measures the same five pollutants but differs from the PSI in the standards used to measure the various pollutants, namely sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone.

According to Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA), the standards used to compute for PM10 and carbon monoxide, which are the main pollutants in haze, are identical for both indexes.

Added Associate Professor Roth: 'The difference is that Malaysia reports hourly values, whereas Singapore reports only 24-hour values and since recently, three-hour values for PM10.'

The PSI is also used in places such as Hong Kong, Brunei, Indonesia, Britain, France and Belgium.

Some Singaporeans have pointed out that although PSI readings on Wednesday hovered in the moderate range for much of the early afternoon, the pollution on the ground was strong.

On the apparent disparity between PSI readings and what people are experiencing, the NEA pointed out that the three-hour PSI reading, for example, measures the air quality at any one time for the preceding three hours.

This means that the figure may not always correspond with what is observed at any moment.

NEA added that poor visibility does not necessarily mean there is more pollution in the air, as it can be explained by other factors such as the presence of mist and the sun's reflection.

Changi Airport flights unaffected by haze
Channel NewsAsia 21 Oct 10;

SINGAPORE: The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has said flights at Changi Airport are not affected by the haze which reached unhealthy levels on Thursday.

The three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading rose to 108 at 6pm. A PSI reading between 101-200 is considered unhealthy.

Responding to media queries, CAAS pointed out that Changi Airport is equipped with facilities and procedures to allow safe landing of aircraft in low visibility conditions.

This is in accordance with international standards.

The airport is equipped with an Instrument Landing System (ILS) which provides guidance to pilots for their landing on the runway.

CAAS said the pilot's decision to land is based on the Runway Visual Range, which is the range over which the pilot can see along the runway.

This can be reduced if the haze is severe.

CAAS said that flights can still land at Changi Airport safely even when the Runway Visual Range is below 500 metres.

The visibility reading at Changi Airport on Thursday is between 1,500 and 1,800 metres.

From past experience, the visibility at Changi Airport due to haze has not gone below 550 metres.

During the prolonged haze period in 1997, the lowest visibility reading at Changi Airport was about 800 metres.

Asked about the haze situation, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said: "It is a matter of very serious concern as a health hazard that has not just affected Singapore but also the southern part of West Malaysia."

He said Singapore's Ambassador in Jakarta has been instructed to inform the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry that Foreign Minister George Yeo would like to speak to his Indonesian counterpart Marty Natalegawa on Friday.

Singapore's Environment and Water Resources Minister, Dr Yaacob Ibrahim, has also contacted his Indonesian counterpart to register the Republic's concerns.

Separately, Channel NewsAsia has learnt that Indonesia is the only ASEAN member that has not ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

The news network also understands that the Indonesian State Minister for the Environment, Prof Dr Gusti Muhammad Hatta, did not attend the 6th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution in Brunei on October 13.

Indonesia will be assuming the ASEAN Chair next year.

- CNA/ir/al

Haze in Singapore hits unhealthy range
Channel NewsAsia 21 Oct 10;

SINGAPORE: The haze enveloping Singapore reached unhealthy levels on Thursday, with the PSI recording hitting a high of 108.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) says the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading rose to 108 at 6pm, after crossing over the 100-mark at 5pm.

The highest three-hour PSI recorded for Singapore was 226 on 18 September, 1997.

A PSI reading of 0-50 means the air quality is in the good range; 51-100 moderate range; 101-200 unhealthy range; 201-300 very unhealthy; and above 300 hazardous.

NEA says that when the air quality is in the unhealthy range, those with underlying conditions such as chronic heart or lung ailments may experience a mild aggravation of their symptoms.

Those without underlying conditions may also experience eye irritation, sneezing or coughing.

It advises those with underlying conditions to reduce physical exertion and outdoor activities.

But since the haze started clouding the skies on 16 October, the number of people visiting the polyclinics for upper respiratory tract infections has not risen.

Figures provided by SingHealth showed that some 1,300 patients visited its polyclinics with such complaints on Monday, some 1,000 on Tuesday and 940 on Wednesday.

The figures were similar to last week's attendance.

NEA said on Wednesday that Singapore can expect more hazy days ahead. It also said that hot spot activities in Sumatra are expected to persist or escalate.

The NEA also said Environment Minister Yaacob Ibrahim had on Thursday expressed "deep concern" about the haze to his Indonesian counterpart Gusti Muhammad Hatta.

"Minister expressed his deep concern that the haze situation would further deteriorate if Indonesia does not put in place immediate and enhanced measures to curb the hotspot situation in Sumatra," it read.

"He urged Indonesia to allocate the necessary resources, and implement timely and effective measures to solve the haze situation."

Minister Yaacob also reiterated Singapore's offer of assistance to augment Indonesia's efforts to combat the haze problem, including helping to put out the fires in Sumatra.

The problem has also affected Malaysia, where schools in the coastal town of Muar have been closed since Wednesday after the air quality reached dangerous levels.

The haze came less than a week after an Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting in Brunei on how to deal with the problem. Channel NewsAsia understands the Indonesian minister did not attend that meeting but was at other meetings the next day.

Meanwhile, Singapore's inter-agency Haze Task Force - comprising representatives from government agencies and chaired by NEA - has also drawn up a set of action plans to mitigate the haze impact.

The task force met on Thursday afternoon to prepare for the activation of the Haze Action Plan to deal with the deteriorating smoke haze situation. The Haze Action Plan spells out the measures that each agency would take to minimise the impact of the haze on the public at different levels of PSI.

The haze was a hot discussion topic on the Internet.

"OMG... No wonder I'm feeling so terrible today," said candycetoh in a message on the social messaging site Twitter.

Eunicekohh tweeted: "I'm already tearing and can't breathe properly."

In a Facebook post, Farin Jaffar said he was "super irritated" with the haze.

"I can feel my eyes getting watery," he wrote.

Haze caused by the fires in Indonesia builds up during the dry season when farmers clear their land by burning, affecting tourism and contributing to health problems across the region.

Indonesia's government has outlawed land-clearing by fire but weak law enforcement means the ban is largely ignored.

- CNA/AFP/ir/al

Haze hits unhealthy levels
Esther Ng Today Online 22 Oct 10;

SINGAPORE - Visibility dropped and the air quality fell further yesterday, as the haze hit unhealthy levels.

At 6pm yesterday, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) stood at 108.

While the PSI was some way off the highest recorded in Singapore on Sept 18, 1997- that day, the PSI hit 226 - it was enough for the inter-agency Haze Task Force (HTF) to swing into action, and for two Ministers - Minister for Environment and Water Resources Yaacob Ibrahim and Foreign Minister George Yeo - to register their concerns with their respective Indonesian counterparts.

The haze has forced Malaysia to shut down more than 200 schools in southern Johor, after air quality reached hazardous levels. Here, the repercussions are, for now, less severe. But the haze is already taking its toll on some Singaporeans.

A worried parent, Ms Grace Chng, 36, who has two children, told MediaCorp she will not be letting them go outdoors because of the haze. She is concerned about her one-year-old son who suffered from bronchitis last December.

"He's all right now, but I'm not going to take any risks. When the sky got hazier, I stopped my kids from playing on the balcony and closed all the windows and doors," said Ms Chng.

Businesses such as the Singapore Flyer continued operations but a patron said: "There's nothing to see in this haze."

According to figures provided by SingHealth, the number of patients visiting polyclincs for upper respiratory tract infections in recent days did not show any discernible spike, compared to last week.

Hazy conditions are expected over the next two days in the absence of heavy rains. And prevailing south-westerly to westerly winds from Sumatra will bring the smog to Singapore, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said in a statement.

Latest satellite images showed six hotspots in southern Sumatra, although there were likely to be more.

"Due to cloud cover, hotspots and smoke haze in Riau Province could not be detected by the satellite," the it said.

According to the NEA, the HTF met yesterday afternoon to prepare for the activation the Haze Action Plan, which spells out the measures that each agency would take to minimise the impact of the haze on the public at different levels of PSI.

The NEA added that Dr Yaacob has contacted Indonesia's State Minister for the Environment Gusti Muhammad Hatta to register Singapore's concerns.

It said: "(Dr Yaacob) expressed his deep concern that the haze situation would further deteriorate if Indonesia does not put in place immediate and enhanced measures to curb the hotspot situation in Sumatra."

Dr Yaacob also reiterated Singapore's offer of assistance to augment Indonesia's efforts to combat the haze problem, including helping to put out the fires in Sumatra.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) also issued a statement to express its concern.

Said an MFA spokesman: "It is a matter of very serious concern as a health hazard that has not just affected Singapore but also the southern part of West Malaysia."

The spokesman said Singapore's Ambassador in Jakarta has been instructed to inform the Indonesian Foreign Affairs Ministry that Mr Yeo would like to speak to his Indonesia's Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa today.

Indonesia is the only Asean member that has not rectified the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution.

Asked about Indonesia's efforts in tackling the haze, social entrepreneur and orang utan conservationist Willie Smits, a Dutch-born Indonesian, noted the lack of enforcement.

Said Dr Smits, who was in Singapore to give a talk: "Dealing with the haze situation has actually only to do with one thing - law enforcement ... The rules and regulations are all there, we know what needs to be done.

"Once it's burning you cannot stop it, so you have to prevent it." Additional reporting by Neo Chai Chin, Wayne Chan And Satishkumar Cheney