Channel NewsAsia 7 Mar 14;
SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) said it has stepped up efforts to clear leaf litter during the current dry season to guard against mosquito breeding.
The current dry spell has led to heavy leaf shedding and an accumulation of leaves in some public areas.
Compared to December 2013 - where approximately 1,400 tonnes of litter from street sweepings was collected - the amount has increased by about 15 per cent and 25 per cent in January and February 2014 respectively.
NEA said this increase is attributed to the additional amount of leaf litter removed from the streets.
The additional 350 tonnes of leaf litter collected in February is equivalent to 70,000 filled rubbish bags.
Workers are now removing an average of 30 bags of leaf litter from street sweepings as compared to 10 bags previously.
The increase in leaf litter has resulted in longer time needed to clean the same stretch of road, pavement or drain.
Repeated leaf fall after the scheduled cleaning rounds have also contributed to the perception of incomplete or inadequate cleaning.
NEA said it is closely monitoring the situation and has stepped up the pace of cleaning during this period in dengue cluster areas and areas with high mosquito feedback, particularly private estates with open drains.
To ensure any build-up of leaf litter is cleared quickly, NEA has also arranged for additional cleaning at 71 locations apart from the regular cleaning schedule and is working with PUB, the national water agency, to step up monitoring efforts along drains at 108 locations.
Town councils and land agencies are also increasing their drain cleaning frequencies to prevent build-up of leaf litter.
NEA has also observed an increase in the number of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes during this period.
More breeding sites have been detected islandwide, from 30 at the beginning of January to 250 in mid-February.
As the Culex mosquito tends to breed in outdoor areas, notably in stagnant water with high organic content, the increased efforts to clear leaf litter will also help in reducing potential breeding habitats.
- CNA/xq
NEA steps up efforts to clear leaf litter to control mosquito population
Woo Sian Boon Today Online 8 Mar 14;
SINGAPORE — To keep the number of mosquitoes in check during the current dry spell, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has stepped up its cleaning efforts to clear leaf litter — a potential breeding ground for the insects.
The NEA yesterday said it had observed an increase in the number of Culex quinquefasciatus mosquitoes during the dry season, with the number of breeding sites detected rising from 30 in January to 250 in the middle of last month.
This species of mosquito is one of 80 types found in Singapore. Of the number, eight species — including the light to dark brown-coloured Culex quinquefasciatus — are potential disease-bearing vectors.
However, the Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus are the two disease-bearing species that are of concern in Singapore, as they are the primary vectors for dengue and chikungunya respectively. The rest, including the Culex quinquefasciatus, can potentially transmit diseases that are not actively transmitted in Singapore.
Said the NEA: “As the Culex mosquito tends to breed in outdoor areas, notably in stagnant water with a high organic content, the stepped-up efforts to clear leaf litter will help reduce potential breeding habitats.”
The agency, which is “closely monitoring the situation”, has stepped up the pace of cleaning in dengue clusters and residential areas where there has been a high amount of feedback on mosquitoes, such as in private estates with open drains.
The number of dengue cases has been on a decline in recent weeks, but there are 32 active clusters currently. The NEA said it is working with the PUB to step up monitoring efforts along drains in 108 locations.
Hot weather and a lack of water — conditions of the dry spell that Singapore is currently experiencing — have led to the heavy shedding and accumulation of leaves in some public areas, said the NEA.
Workers are now removing an average of 30 bags of leaf litter a day after sweeping the streets, up from 10 bags previously. Last month, 350 more tonnes of dry leaves were swept from the streets, filling up 70,000 bags.
“The increase in leaf litter has resulted in a longer time needed to clean the same stretch of road, pavement or drain. Repeated leaf fall after the scheduled cleaning rounds has also contributed to the perception of incomplete or inadequate cleaning,” said the NEA.
Additional cleaning has been arranged in 71 locations, such as Pasir Ris Drive 3 — in addition to regular cleaning schedules — to prevent the build-up of leaf litter.
“Town councils and land agencies are also increasing their drain-cleaning frequencies to prevent the build-up of leaf litter,” said the NEA.
Woo Sian Boon
