Best of our wild blogs: 20 Oct 15

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preening common kingfisher @ SBWR - Oct2015
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Papua fires send haze to Micronesia; Indonesia elections commission hints at environment debate
Mongabay Environmental News

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Hazy new year: Southeast Asia set to suffer for months as Indonesia fails to douse fires

MICHAEL TAYLOR Reuters 19 Oct 15;

Indonesian forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across Southeast Asia are spreading to new areas and are unlikely to be put out until next year, experts said on Monday.

Indonesia has come under increased pressure from its neighbours to contain the annual "haze" crisis, which is caused by slash-and-burn agriculture practices, largely on Sumatra and Kalimantan.

But it has failed to put out the fires, with "hot spots" growing in eastern parts of the country and industry officials and analysts estimating the smoke will last until early 2016.

"Maybe it will last until December and January," said Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research, adding that hot spots had reached Papua, a region that usually avoids widespread fires.

"It is because people are opening new agriculture areas, like palm oil," he said.

A senior official at a company active in Indonesia's forested areas said the haze could continue until March.

Indonesia usually enters its wet season in October and November, but this year the country is expected to face moderate El Nino dry conditions which could strengthen until December and may hinder efforts to control the fires.

Indonesia's national disaster management agency has made several forecasts for when the forest fires will be brought under control, many of which have now passed, but their latest target date is early November.

Indonesia has revoked the land licences of PT Mega Alam Sentosa and state-owned PT Dyera Hutan Lestari, Rasio Rido Sani, the director general for law enforcement at the forestry ministry, told reporters late on Monday.

Both firms could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Indonesia ordered four companies to suspend operations for allegedly causing forest fires.

On the ground, NASA satellites detected 1,729 fire alerts across Indonesia on Wednesday, a national holiday, more than any single day in the last two years.

About half of the fires during the last week have been on carbon-rich peat land areas, mostly in South Sumatra, South and Central Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has increased government efforts to tackle the haze in recent weeks, making several visits to the worst-hit areas and asking other countries for help, but apparently to little avail.

"We all know that the burnt areas are now widening beyond normal conditions," Widodo told reporters on Sunday. " ... the efforts to extinguish the fires are ongoing now both by land and air. We have to be patient because the burnt areas is now wide."

(Additional reporting by Cindy Silviana, Bernadette Christina and Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Reporting by Michael Taylor; Editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Potter)


UPDATE 1-Hazy new year: Southeast Asia set to suffer for months as Indonesia fails to douse fires
(Adds forestry ministry action)
Michael Taylor Reuters 19 Oct 15;

Oct 19 (Reuters) - Indonesian forest fires that have caused choking smoke to drift across Southeast Asia are spreading to new areas and are unlikely to be put out until next year, experts said on Monday.

Indonesia has come under increased pressure from its neighbours to contain the annual "haze" crisis, which is caused by slash-and-burn agriculture practices, largely on Sumatra and Kalimantan.

But it has failed to put out the fires, with "hot spots" growing in eastern parts of the country and industry officials and analysts estimating the smoke will last until early 2016.

"Maybe it will last until December and January," said Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Center for International Forestry Research, adding that hot spots had reached Papua, a region that usually avoids widespread fires.

"It is because people are opening new agriculture areas, like palm oil," he said.

A senior official at a company active in Indonesia's forested areas said the haze could continue until March.

Indonesia usually enters its wet season in October and November, but this year the country is expected to face moderate El Nino dry conditions which could strengthen until December and may hinder efforts to control the fires.

Indonesia's national disaster management agency has made several forecasts for when the forest fires will be brought under control, many of which have now passed, but their latest target date is early November.

Indonesia has revoked the land licences of PT Mega Alam Sentosa and state-owned PT Dyera Hutan Lestari, Rasio Rido Sani, the director general for law enforcement at the forestry ministry, told reporters late on Monday.

Both firms could not be reached for comment.

Last month, Indonesia ordered four companies to suspend operations for allegedly causing forest fires.

On the ground, NASA satellites detected 1,729 fire alerts across Indonesia on Wednesday, a national holiday, more than any single day in the last two years.

About half of the fires during the last week have been on carbon-rich peat land areas, mostly in South Sumatra, South and Central Kalimantan, Sulawesi and Papua.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo has increased government efforts to tackle the haze in recent weeks, making several visits to the worst-hit areas and asking other countries for help, but apparently to little avail.

"We all know that the burned areas are now widening beyond normal conditions," Widodo told reporters on Sunday. " ... the efforts to extinguish the fires are ongoing now both by land and air. We have to be patient because the burned areas is now wide." (Additional reporting by Cindy Silviana, Bernadette Christina and Agustinus Beo Da Costa; Reporting by Michael Taylor; Editing by Nick Macfie and Mark Potter)

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PM2.5 levels hit 471 as haze situation worsens

Today Online 20 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE/JAKARTA — The haze situation took a turn for the worse last night (Oct 19), with both PM2.5 and three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings shooting up.

PM2.5, fine particulate matter that is the pollutant of concern during the haze, rocketed from 35 to 164 microgrammes per cubic metre at 9pm, to 55 to 442 microgrammes per cubic metre at 10pm. By 11pm, one-hour PM2.5 levels reached 471 in western Singapore — the highest level recorded so far this year.

The three-hour PSI, meanwhile, also surged to from 96 at 9pm to 209 at 11pm. The National Environment Agency (NEA), in its evening update, said hazy conditions can still be expected today, with the 24-hour PSI expected to be in the low to mid section of the unhealthy range. Reduced visibility is also expected if PM2.5 concentration levels are elevated, said NEA.

Meanwhile, the Indonesian forest fires that have caused the haze to drift across South-east Asia are spreading to new areas and are unlikely to be put out until next year, experts said yesterday. “Maybe (the fires) will last until December and January,” said Dr Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Indonesia-based Center for International Forestry Research, adding that hot spots had reached Papua, a region that is usually spared the widespread fires.

A senior official at a company active in Indonesia’s forested areas told Reuters the haze could continue until March. Indonesia usually enters its wet season in October and November, but this year the country is expected to face moderate El Nino dry conditions, which could strengthen until December and may hinder efforts to control the fires.

Associate Professor Matthias Roth, from the National University of Singapore’s Geography Department, said that assuming that the fires continue to burn, whether Singapore will be affected depends mainly on wind direction and rain.

“We are currently at the tail end of the south-west monsoon season, which is characterised by southerly winds ... As we are now experiencing, whenever the wind direction changes towards the south-west, Singapore becomes heavily affected by the smoke haze from the fires in Sumatra,” he said. “As we enter the inter-monsoon season, which lasts approximately from October to November, the wind direction becomes more variable and hence there should be lesser occurrences of haze.”

By December, the north-east monsoon season will set in, and the prevailing winds will carry the haze from Sumatra away from Singapore.

WITH AGENCIES


Haze worsens on Monday night
Today Online 19 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — The haze in Singapore took a turn for the worse tonight (Oct 19), with both one-hour PM2.5 and three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings shooting up. At 11pm, the one-hour PM2.5 concentration reached 471 µg/m3 in the west region, the highest recorded so far for this year.

The one-hour PM2.5, which is fine particulate matter, rocketed from 35 to 164 microgrammes per cubic metre (µg/m3) at 9pm, to 55 to 442 µg/m3 at 10pm. The worst-hit was western Singapore, followed by the southern areas.

At 11pm, the one-hour PM2.5 was 35 - 471µg/m3, with the western Singapore at 471µg/m3, southern Singapore at 301µg/m3 and central Singapore at 138µg/m3.

The NEA in an update said that the sharp deterioration in haze conditions in several regions of Singapore, from about 9pm, was due to denser haze from the sea areas south of Singapore being blown in by the prevailing south-southeasterly winds. "The current haze conditions are expected to gradually improve over the next few hours," said the NEA.

The NEA said on its website that the 1-hour PM2.5 concentrations reflect the PM2.5 levels averaged over one hour, and can give an indication of the current air quality. However, the one -hour PM2.5 concentration levels can be volatile and tend to fluctuate over the day especially during periods of transboundary haze. Short-term fluctuations will also be very heavily influenced by weather conditions.

The three-hour PSI, meanwhile, also surged to 152 at 10pm from 96 as at 9pm. At 11pm, the three-hour PSI breached the 200-mark, at 209. The 24-hour PSI at 11pm was 104-152, which is in the unhealthy range.

Earlier in the day, a shift in the prevailing winds brought about an improvement in the haze situation.

The National Environment Agency (NEA), in its evening update, said hazy conditions can still be expected tomorrow, with the 24-hour PSI expected to be in the low to mid section of the unhealthy range. Reduced visibility is also expected if PM2.5 concentration levels are elevated, said the NEA.

A total of 233 hotspots were detected in Sumatra today. Moderate to dense smoke haze is still persisting in parts of central and southern Sumatra, and some haze from Kalimantan is also observed to have spread to the sea areas southeast of Singapore, said the NEA.

Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, the NEA advised healthy persons to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. The elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while those with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion. Persons who are not feeling well, especially the elderly and children, and those with chronic heart or lung conditions, should seek medical attention.


Singapore troops in Indonesia have put out 35 hotspots: Ng Eng Hen
The Defence Minister says 40 SAF and SCDF troops on the ground have performed 47 water-bombing operations since they were deployed on Oct 10.
Channel NewsAsia 19 oct 15;

SINGAPORE: The Singapore team helping to fight haze-causing fires in Indonesia has so far performed 47 water-bombing operations and put out 35 hotspots, said Dr Ng Eng Hen on Monday (Oct 19). The team was deployed to Palembang nine days ago with the Republic of Singapore Air Force's Chinook helicopter.

In a Facebook post, the Defence Minister said it has been a "team effort", adding that altogether there are 40 SAF and SCDF troops on the ground, including a National Serviceman who had volunteered for what has been dubbed Mission Persistence.
"Well done and keep it up," said the minister.

"They know the task is difficult and that it is hard to put out fires without the help of rain. But the SAF's presence as part of a multinational effort does send a strong signal that there is international attention and support as Indonesia seeks to address the problem of transboundary haze which has affected many neighbouring countries," he added.

Dr Ng said Singapore will continue to work with Indonesia to tackle the haze situation in Palembang.

- CNA/hs

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Malaysia: Air quality may only improve in mid-Nov, says Wan Junaidi

LOSHANA K SHAGAR The Star 19 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: The air quality in Malaysia may only improve around mid-November, when the Northeast monsoon begins and rains are expected in the region.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said human intervention was not enough to quell the raging forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

“Initially we thought the winds from South China Sea would be stronger this week and therefore stop the smog from affecting Malaysia, but the wind patterns changed with Typhoon Champi and Typhoon Koppu recently.

“This caused the wind pressure from South China Sea to drop, hence the haze is still affecting us,” he told reporters at Parliament lobby on Monday.

Dr Wan Junaidi also said Indonesia’s foreign minister had reached out to him this morning, asking for an extension period to use Malaysia’s planes which are equipped with “waterbomb” facilities to help put out forest fires.

“The plane is apparently very effective in combating the forest fires there, and Indonesia appreciates our help.

“Even so, the fires have yet to be completely extinguished, and the smog is still heading towards Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak,” he said.


No end soon to the haze
NEVILE SPYKERMAN, YU JI, MUGUNTAN VANAR, NELSON BENJAMIN, RAHIMY RAHIM, LOSHANA K. SHAGAR, VINCENT LIAN, AND N. TRISHA
The Star 20 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Schools open one day and closed the next, an increasing number of respiratory ailments and uncertainty over whether planes will be grounded or can take off could become the norm over the next five months with the unrelenting haze.

Experts say the forest fires in Indonesia, which have caused choking smoke to drift across South-East Asia, are spreading to new areas and are unlikely to be put out until next year, Reuters reported yesterday.

Despite pressure from Indonesia’s neighbours, hotspots are growing in eastern parts of the country and industry officials and analysts estimate that the smoke will last until early next year.

“Maybe it will last until December and January,” said Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Centre for Inter­national Forestry Research headquartered in Bogor, Indonesia.

He added that the hotspots had reached Papua, a region that usually avoids widespread fires.

“It is because people are opening new agriculture areas like oil palm,” he said.

A senior official at a company active in Indonesia’s forested areas said the haze could continue until March.

Indonesia usually enters its wet season in October and November, but this year the country is expected to face moderate El Nino dry conditions, which could strengthen until December and hinder efforts to control the fires.

Indonesia’s national disaster management agency has made several forecasts for when the forest fires will be brought under control, many of which have now passed, but their latest target date is early next month.

Speaking to reporters at the Parliament lobby yesterday, Natural Resources and Environment Minis­ter Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said human intervention was not enough to quell the raging forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

“Initially, we thought the winds from South China Sea would be stronger this week and stop the smog from affecting Malaysia, but the wind patterns changed with Typhoon Champi and Typhoon Koppu recently.

“This caused the wind pressure from South China Sea to drop, hence the haze is still affecting us.”

Dr Wan Junaidi said Indonesia’s foreign minister reached out to him yesterday, asking to use Malaysia’s plane – which is equipped with water-bombing facilities to help put out forest fires – for a longer period.

Even so, the fires have yet to be completely extinguished and the smog is still heading towards Penin­sular Malaysia, Sabah and Sarawak, he added.

Science, Technology and Inno­vation Minister Datuk Seri Madius Tangau said that with the increase in hotspots in Indonesia, the frequent rainfall in the evenings throughout Malaysia have not been enough to reduce the haze.


Haze to continue until at least mid-November
VEENA BABULAL AND NURADZIMMAH DAIM The New Paper 19 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: If you think the haze will end anytime soon, think again.

The Natural Resources and Environment Ministry predicts that the smoggy conditions is expected to continue until at least mid-November.

Natural Resources and Environment Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said this was mostly due to the effects of the cyclones caused by the El Nino phenomenon.
“The smog has yet to dissipate due to the effects from El Nino. If the northeast monsoon is on time, a change in wind patterns may bring some relief by mid November," he said.

Meanwhile, Indonesia wants Malaysia to continue deploying its assets to continue fighting the blaze in Sumatra.

Wan Junaidi said requests have been made by Indonesia for the Malaysian team to remain in Sumatra.

"The aircraft, however, had to be flown back to Malaysia (temporarily) for its scheduled maintenance. Malaysia will continue deploying firefighting missions to Indonesia until the fires are put out.

"This is in line with our commitment and Prime Minister's Datuk Seri Najib Razak's promise to find a solution to the haze," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby today.

The minister had earlier told the Dewan Rakyat that the Indonesian government has ratified the Asean Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) by depositing the ratification of the document to the Asean Secretary-General on Jan 20.

He said the agreement was reached through the Conference of the Parties to the AATHP and Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution meetings which were held periodically.

"Apart from collaborative efforts with Asean state members, Malaysia is also expected to sign an MoU (Memorandum of Understanding), which was postponed for the second time. We are pushing for it as we have yet to get a date from Indonesia.

“It will allow collaborative measures to address the matter including maintenance of peat soil that is prone to fire and monitoring to ensure that land-clearing activities including for agriculture do not involve slash-and-burn methods," he said in response to a question by Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad (BN-Kuala Kangsar) who wanted to know Malaysia's role as the Asean chairman in persuading the Indonesian government to ratify the agreement.

Wan Junaidi said Indonesia had claimed that only three per cent of the fires involving land-clearing was the fault of companies, while the remaining were caused by small holders (individuals).


Fire dept still waiting for Indonesia’s call
The Star 20 Oct 15;

NUSAJAYA: The Malaysian Fire and Rescue Department has not received an official request from Indonesia for its firemen to help put out the raging peat fires.

Its director-general Datuk Wira Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said 1,500 Malaysian firemen were available for two weeks and would do what they could to control the fires during that period.

“Both governments need to decide, as the mobilisation of such a huge team together with the equipment and vehicles will involve a huge cost,” he added.

Wan Mohd said only flooding of the area would work since much of the fires were in peatland.

“You can carry out aerial water bombing, but the best way is to fight the fires on the ground.

“There will be many challenges but with our experience in 1997, we know how to overcome these obstacles,” he said after opening the new Nusajaya fire station here yesterday.


Malaysians join global campaign to stop smog
The Star 20 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: An international campaign to get regional governments to cooperate in stopping the haze is gathering momentum here in Malaysia.

Property agent Michael Boo was among 500 Malaysians who signed a Greenpeace petition called #StoptheHaze during a roadshow at the KL Eco Film Festival (KLEFF) in Publika here over the weekend.

Boo, 50, said he fully supported calls for the governments of Malay­sia, Singapore and Indonesia to work together to reform the forestry and plantation sectors.

“There seems to be no end to the haze this year,” he added.

Boo said his 17-year-old daughter was scheduled to sit for her Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination this year and hoped the examination would not be disrupted.

A Greenpeace Malaysia official said the online campaign started two weeks ago and thousands around the world have signed the petition.

He said it also aimed at getting these governments to stop the annual occurrence of forest fires and protect as well as restore the remaining peatlands.

The online campaign pointed out that the fires are raging through forests which are critical habitats for animals such as tigers, orang utans and elephants.

“These fires are a man-made crisis, the result of decades of forest clearance and peatland drainage by plantation companies.

“The fires also show the government’s failure to protect the natural environment.”

A link to the campaign can be found on Greenpeace Malaysia’s Facebook page.


Flights at Tawau airport back to normal
The Star 20 Oct 15;

KOTA KINABALU: Flight operations in and out of Sabah’s south western Tawau airport returned to normal though thick haze conditions kept schools in the district closed.

Tawau airport manager Yakub Abu Bakar said that air traffic operations were not disrupted as visibility improved from less then a kilometre early yesterday to three kilometres.

“We are still on alert as situation might change,” he said, adding that the poor visibility had disrupted flight operations on Sunday.

Tawau, which borders Indonesia’s Kalimantan in Borneo, saw the unhealthy air pollutant index hovering at 165 with little signs of lifting on yesterday as 198 schools closed.

Sabah Education director Datuk Jame Alip said some 112,000 students and 9,623 teachers were affected by the closure of the schools that not only involved Tawau but also neighbouring districts of Semporna, Kunak and Lahad Datu.

Heavy rains and strong winds over west coast Sabah during the weekend also brought back hazy conditions in the city here and Labuan.

A Meteorological Services Department spokesman said that the visibility in Labuan was 5km while in Kota Kinabalu it was 8km at noon. Other areas including Sandakan and Kudat were above 10km, the spokesman said, adding that the haze was being blown into the area due to the current south westerly winds.

There were over 150 hotspots in the Kalimantan area.

Meanwhile, the haze is causing Malaysians to spend more on supplements and herbal remedies.

Richard Lian and Josephine Woon sacrificed their favourite coffee routine as they were getting a sore throat from going out in the haze.

Woon, who suffers from sinus problems, and her husband Lian are now trying to fortify their immune system with vitamin supplements, Chamomile honey tea and herbal tea.

The couple, who own a fruit shop, said they had to take supplements and tea as they had to go outside the house every day to collect fruits for their business.

They added that there was an increased demand for lemons from their customers. Lemons are also said to help those who have phlegm.

Student Nicole Ng, 19, has asthma and is forced to stay indoors most of the time and keep the windows shut and doors closed because of the haze.

“My mom boiled leung cha (herbal tea) for my body to cool down.

“I also turn on the air conditioner to make sure I do not get an asthma attack in my own home,” said Ng who’s not missing classes right now because she is on her semester break.

Grocery shop assistant Parimala Verasamy, 36, has visited the pharmacy three times this month because of the haze.


Schools in several haze-hit states to remain closed tomorrow
JOSEPH KAOS JR The Star 19 Oct 15;

PUTRAJAYA: Schools that were closed in several states on Monday due to the haze will continue to be closed on Tuesday as the air quality shows little improvement.

The Education Ministry, in a statement Monday, announced that schools in Malacca, Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya, Kuching and Samarahan in Sarawak, and Tawau in Sabah, will remain closed.

In addition, schools in Lahad Datu, Semporna and Kunak in Sabah, as well as Muar, Ledang and Segamat in Johor, have also been instructed to close on Tuesday.

"Based on the ministry's observation at 1pm today, the API (Air Pollution Index) level at the affected areas remained 'Unhealthy'.

"The closure will affect 1,909,842 students in 3,029 schools nationwide," the ministry said.


Contingency plans in place if haze worsens during exam period, says Education Ministry
RAHIMY RAHIM The Star 19 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Contingency plans are in place if the haze worsens during the crucial year-end examination period, says Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid.

He said the Cabinet was seriously concerned with the haze but that it has a special task force to deal with any situation.

"We have to monitor the schools especially those in Form 5 and Form 6 who are in their last lap to face examinations.

"Our committee will meet every week to discuss the contingency plan.

"We have plan A...Plan B...Plan C..and see what happens if it continue until the SPM examination period," he told reporters at the Parliament lobby Monday.

Schools that were closed in several states on Monday will continue to be closed Tuesday as the air quality shows little improvement.

The closure will affect a total of 1,909, 842 students and 3, 029 schools nationwide.

Asked if action will be taken against private school who are still operating despite the order, Mahdzir said all schools that were operating with the Ministry's license should also be closed.

"Sometimes when it is near the examination period, some school principals had requested to proceed with school operations.

"As long as it is agreed upon by the school management and the parents, it is alright.

"We do not want students to be forced to go to school," he said.


Parents doubt API readings, UEC tests to go on
The Star 20 Oct 15;

KUCHING: The closure of schools here and in nearby Samarahan despite relatively low air pollutant index (API) readings has given parents more reason to doubt the system’s accuracy.

Indra Devindran, whose daughter is in Standard One, had to double check the authenticity of the 8pm news on Sunday because the API reading was only 100 then.

“In the last few weeks, there were days when the API was much higher but classes went on.

“Why are schools closed now when the API is so much lower?” Indra asked, adding that her daughter’s final exams were supposed to start yesterday.

“We have to change plans to keep her company at home as she revises.”

University lecturer Greg Wee shared the sentiment. On Sunday night, he had to check with school teachers about the closures.

Wee took the decision not to send his daughter to school for several days last month.

He said he trusted his own assumptions more than the system, which he described as likely “inaccurate”.

Wee was referring to the Depart­ment of Environment’s explanation last month that API readings published by the Malaysian Government were 24-hour averages.

In Singapore, 24-hour averages are reported alongside three-hour averages and hourly updates.

Wee said Malaysians needed to have more trust in the API system so that they could better plan their activities.

In Kuala Lumpur, the United Chinese School Committees’ Assoc­iation (Dong Zong) announced that the Unified Examination Certificate (UEC) tests for Chinese independent schools would go on as scheduled despite the haze.

The exams will be held from tomorrow until next Tuesday for junior, senior high schools and vocational students.


Hazy conditions to persist until Thursday
The Star 19 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR: Poor visibility conditions of less than three kilometres in waters off Perak, Selangor, Negri Sembilan, Malacca, Johor, Kuching and Tawau are expected to continue until Thursday.

The seven state territorial waters are among 17 areas shrouded in haze in the country areas and with Air Pollutant Index (API) readings of above 101 as at 8am Monday.

According to the Meteorology Department, the condition is dangerous to ships, which are not equipped with navigational devices.

A similar condition is also forecast in the Straits of Malacca and waters off Tioman, Bunguran, Kuching and Sulawesi. - Bernama

18 areas record unhealthy API readings
P. DIVAKARAN The Star 19 Oct 15;

PETALING JAYA: The haze continues to worsen as the Air Pollutant Index (API) in 18 areas nationwide recorded unhealthy levels, with Seremban almost reaching the "very unhealty" level as of 1pm Monday.

According to the Department of Environment (DOE) website, Seremban had the highest API reading at 198, with Nilai (160), Bukit Rambai (158), Malacca city (156), Port Dickson (154), Tanjung Malim (106) and Kemaman (103) at unhealthy levels.

In the Klang Valley, the areas most affected by the haze are Banting (164), Batu Muda in Kuala Lumpur (164), Putrajaya (152), Port Klang (144), Shah Alam (140), Petaling Jaya (136) and Cheras (131).

Meanwhile Tawau, Sabah recorded an API of 159.

On Sunday, Education Minister Datuk Seri Mahdzir Khalid announced that primary and secondary schools in Negri Sembilan, Selangor, Putrajaya, Kuala Lumpur, Tawau in Sabah as well as Kuching and Samaraham in Sarawak would be closed on Monday due to the high API readings in those areas.

An API of 51 to 100 indicates moderate air quality, 101 to 200 is unhealthy, 201 to 300 is very unhealthy and above 300 is hazardous.

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Indonesia: Government shares responsibility to prevent forest fires

Antara 19 Oct 15;

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government will share responsibility with local administration and companies to prevent forest fires and cope with any incidents of fire outbreaks.

"The central government cannot control the forest fires all alone. It will involve local administration and companies that own the right to manage forests to cope with such fires," President Joko Widodo said in a joint interview he gave to ANTARA, RRI and TVRI here on Monday.

The head of the state said the problem of forest fires and smoke has been going on for the last 18 years. It should be addressed and anticipated properly if such incidents are to be prevented in the future.

"Corporations should also be responsible and they must have their own infrastructure and facilities in place to overcome forest fires," the President said.

In order to handle smoke and forest fires, the President noted, Indonesia has deployed 19,000 military and police personnel as well as other components of the state.

In addition, the government also carried out the construction of the canals to control peatland fires.

"The solution is to build partitioned canals. The development of canals needs a lot of time because an area of 1.7 million hectares was involved. This is not an easy job. We have deployed 19,000 military and police personnel to build partitioned canals," the President said.

Nevertheless, the President underlined the role of local governments and communities in the vicinity of the burned area to take preventive measures in relation to land and forest fires.

"The local government and communities have a major role in anticipating forest fires. Right now, we need their cooperation to overcome the problems," the President said.

The governments efforts to extinguish forest fires can be successful, the President noted, if all the parties can work together.

Earlier, the number of hotspots in South Sumatra Province dropped drastically to 163 from 500 recorded a few days ago at a time when Indonesia is transitioning from dry to rainy season.

The hotspots were detected in nine of the provinces 17 districts, Indra Purnama of the South Sumatra meteorology office, reported here on Monday.

The largest number of hotspots was detected in Ogan Komering Ilir (OKI) which had 100 hotspots, Musirawar had 26, Muaraenim 13, Musi Banyuasin 11, Ogan Komering Ulu eight, Lahat six, North Musirawas five, and East and South OKU had one hotspot, respectively.

A joint team comprising Indonesian personnel and fire fighters from Malaysia, Singapore and Australia have intensified their efforts to put out the fires, particularly in OKI, by dropping water bombs.

South Sumatra is also expected to receive rains in the near future as the El Nino natural phenomenon had triggered a prolonged drought in parts of Indonesia.

In the meantime, Minister of Environmental Affairs and Forestry Siti Nurbaya stated on Oct. 9 that 1.7 million hectares of forest and land areas had so far been burnt in the fires this year.

Moreover, millions of people, including those from Malaysia and Singapore, have become victims of the haze.

During the period between June 29 and October 5, 2015, at least 307,360 people in six Indonesian provinces had sought medical treatment for respiratory ailments and other conditions caused by smoke or haze from the forest fires.(*)


Most companies in Riau not ready to tackle forest fires
Antara 19 Oct 15;

Pekanbaru, Riau (ANTARA News) - Riau Provinces Forestry Department Chief Fadrizal Labay here on Monday revealed that only 22 of the 61 forestry companies in the area were ready to overcome land and forest fires.

The statement was made during a coordination meeting with several officials and representatives of companies to overcome forest and land fires.

The 61 companies comprised three Forest Management Rights (HPH) license holders and the rest are Manager Plantation Forests (HTI) license holders.

The local government is now awaiting a regulation from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry on the minimum standards of human resources and infrastructure for firefighters that could serve as a standard reference for the operating companies.

"We would also evaluate and verify the preparedness of the companies," Fadrizal affirmed.

The evaluation is conducted to ensure that the action plan on the prevention of land and forest fires is actually carried out by the companies.

One of the points is to restore insulation canals, which were built during the companies operations in Riau.

Based on data from the Riau Forestry Service, a total of 3,887 canals were made when the companies commenced their operations, and the government had only built 80 canals.

Fadrizal emphasized that the companies efforts are deemed necessary to prevent fires as most of the peatland areas in Riau were prone to fires.

"During the year, 1.8 thousand hotspots were observed in Riau, with nearly 24 percent recorded in Pelalawan, followed by Indragiri Hulu and Bengkalis," Fadrizal said.

Meanwhile, Head of the Environment Agency of Riau Yulwiriawati Moesa stated that the hotspots were detected in 39 companies in Riau in 2015.

"We have written to the companies to conduct evaluation and prevention efforts," Yulwiriawati remarked.(*)


More hot spots found in Kalimantan: BNPB
The Jakarta Post 19 Oct 15;

The National Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) said on Sunday that hot spots continued to be detected in forested areas of Kalimantan and Sumatra in spite of the government’s coordinated efforts to put them out.

“We still can’t put out the fires,” BNPB spokesperson Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said as quoted by Antara news agency.

Sutopo said that fires had spread to forests in East Kalimantan.

Data from the BNBP said that Jambi had 108 hot spots, Riau Island 10 hot spots, Riau 57 hot spots, while South Sumatra and Lampung had 871 hot spots and 39 hot spots, respectively.

In Kalimantan, the BNPB said it found 212 hot spots, with at least 156 hot spots in Central Kalimantan.

“If we look through a satellite, we can find more hot spots,” he said.

Sutopo said that efforts to put out the fires were continuing with the help of neighboring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.


Indonesia Has Deposited Ratification Documents In January
Bernama 19 Oct 15;

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 19 (Bernama) -- The Indonesian government has ratified the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) by depositing the ratification of the document to the ASEAN Secretary-General on Jan 20, 2015, the Dewan Rakyat sitting was told Monday.

The Minister of Natural Resources and Environment, Datuk Seri Dr Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said the agreement was reached through the 'Conference of the Parties to the AATHP' and 'Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution' meetings which were held periodically.

"Through the two forums, Malaysia and the other ASEAN member nations had urged the Indonesian government to speed up the AATHP ratification process," he said.

He was replying to a question from Datuk Wan Mohammad Khair-il Anuar Wan Ahmad (BN-Kuala Kangsar) who wanted to know Malaysia's role as the ASEAN chairman in persuading the Indonesian government to speed up the agreement.

Wan Junaidi said the AATHP was the first regional agreement in the world that bound the neighbouring countries in terms of the law in tackling the haze problems due to the forest and peat soil fires.

It encompasses five thrusts namely cooperation in developing preliminary measures in monitoring the haze, preventing land and forest fires, implementing joint reciprocal procedures on pollution, setting up an ASEAN haze fund and implementing scientific research cooperation on the problems of transborder haze.

He said Malaysia was the first among the ASEAN member countries to ratify the AATHP agreement on Dec 3, 2002.

Replying to a supplementary question from Lim Guan Eng (DAP-Bagan) whether the government could take action against the companies causing the fires, Wan Junaidi said Malaysia did not have the legislation as practised by Singapore.

Singapore had earlier gazetted the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act 2014 and had adopted it this year, which enabled the republic to act against Singapore companies involved in the fires in Indonesia.

-- BERNAMA


Haze may last to 2016 as Indonesia fires rage on
New Paper AsiaOne 20 Oct 15;

JAKARTA - FOREST fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan, which are shrouding parts of South-east Asia in haze, are unlikely to disappear until next year despite international effort to put them out, experts said yesterday.

Meanwhile, hot spots had popped up in Indonesia's eastern Papua province, where widespread fires have been rare, Reuters reported.

Last week Indonesia received help from Singapore, Malaysia and Australia in containing the annual "haze" crisis, which is caused by illegal slash-and-burn practices involving plantation companies.

But the effort has failed to put out the fires and industry officials and analysts estimate the smoke will last until early next year.

"Maybe it will last until December and January," said Herry Purnomo, a scientist at the Bogor-based Centre for International Forestry Research.

On the Papua hot spots, he said: "It is because people are opening new agriculture areas, like palm oil."

A senior official at a company active in Indonesia's forested areas said the haze could continue until March.

Malaysia's environment minister Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar warned yesterday that the region could face several more weeks of choking haze until the rainy season starts.

Malaysia was forced once again to close schools in several states and Kuala Lumpur yesterday due to unhealthy air, said the minister.

"Unless there is rain, there is no way human intervention can put out the fires," he told Agence France-Presse.

Indonesia usually enters its wet season this month and November, but the country is expected to face moderate El Nino dry conditions this year, which could strengthen until December and may hinder efforts to control the fires.

Indonesian National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho said yesterday that satellite data indicated Indonesia now had more than 1,500 hot spots.

"The actual number is higher as the satellite is not able to penetrate the thickness of the haze in Sumatra and Borneo," Mr Sutopo added.

On Friday, Indonesia launched its biggest fire-fighting assault yet, with dozens of planes and thousands of troops battling the blazes in Sumatra and Kalimantan.

Thirty-two planes and helicopters - including six aircraft from Singapore, Malaysia and Australia - were deployed to back up more than 22,000 personnel on the ground.

Yesterday, Jakarta warned another four plantation companies from taking part in the burning, suspended the operating licences of another four, and revoked those of two, news portal Detik reported.

That brings the total of firms sanctioned by the government to 14, said Detik.

Meanwhile, local petitions urging the government to put out the fires quickly has exceeded 1,000 at a website, with some lamenting that hot spots have appeared in Papua and the Moluccas.

In Singapore, the National Environment Agency said in a 6.30pm update yesterday that the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index for the next 24 hours is expected to be in the low to mid sections of the unhealthy range.


Aussie firies wrap up Sumatra mission
GABRIELLE DUNLEVY, AAP The Australian 19 Oct 15;

INDONESIA will hire commercial planes to fight its enormous forest fires as foreign crews, including one from Australia, return home.

AN Australian water bombing plane spent five days in South Sumatra, dousing fires from land clearing that have spread air pollution throughout Southeast Asia for weeks.

Schools in Kuala Lumpur and other Malaysian states were closed on Monday due to the haze.

After pressure from its neighbours, Indonesia eventually accepted foreign assistance.

Aerial crews on loan from Australia and Malaysia return home on Tuesday.

The NSW Rural Fire Service's Ben Millington, team leader for the deployment, says the hazy conditions and the scale of the task were particularly challenging.

"The size of the area and the magnitude of the fires, it wasn't comparable to anything we've seen in Australia," he told AAP.

"We managed to protect a number of homes and crops from fire ... The task of the Indonesian authorities is huge."

Indonesia's National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Sutopo Purwo Nugroho says they will now seek any available commercial planes and helicopters to aid the effort.

"The help from Australia was significant in the areas where they were extinguishing fires," he told AAP.

"But remember the area on fire is hugely vast, it could not extinguish it all."

Some fires are in peatland that can smoulder for weeks, meaning the number of "hotspots" firefighters must tackle keeps fluctuating.

Read more!

Jakarta not ready to name firms responsible for forest fires

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Pandjaitan said releasing the names would create uncertainty within the country.
Sujadi Siswo, Channel NewsAsia 19 Oct 15;

JAKARTA: Jakarta has said it is not yet ready to officially disclose names of plantation companies responsible for the forest fires in the country that caused the haze in the region.

Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Politics, Law and Security Luhut Pandjaitan said releasing the names would create uncertainty within the country.

Speaking to the media in Singapore after delivering a public lecture on Monday (Oct 19), he said Jakarta might consider releasing the names of the companies after they have gone though the legal process in Indonesia.

However, media reports said Indonesia's Environment and Forestry Ministry had revoked the concession licences of several companies responsible for causing forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. Others had their licences or operations suspended. The companies' names have been mentioned by the reports.

More than 200 plantation companies operating in Sumatra and Kalimantan are being investigated for clearing their land by burning. A number of them are believed to have links to Singapore-based firms.

The Singapore Government has officially requested Jakarta to provide them with the names of those companies. This would allow Singapore to take legal action against those responsible for the haze that has blanketed the city-state and neighboring Malaysia and Thailand.

Luhut Pandjaitan said: “Well, we are not protecting (plantation companies). Like I mentioned earlier, we have not officially submitted the names to the court. So how can we disclose them to the public? It’s unfair. We’ll wait for the court’s final decision."

He added that the Indonesian government also do not want to create an uncertain situation within the country because of this. "Moving forward, they know that they are going to get punished by the government. I think this is very important.

"But next year, we have already given them a clear message: We are going to revoke their licence, no question about that. That I can assure you. They understand that fully.”

- CNA/al

Read more!

Getting firms to take responsibility for the haze

SIMON TAY AND LAU XIN YI Today Online 20 Oct 15;

It remains essential to work with the Indonesian government to address the haze. However, while intergovernmental cooperation remains key, there is every reason to expect corporations to do their part to stop the fires and haze or risk being taken to task.

The first steps towards corporate accountability have started. In Indonesia, 12 firms have been named for investigation. The Singapore Government has started to utilise the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to question and investigate six firms.

Questions were raised about whether such companies still deserve to retain their Singapore Green Label, which indicates that they sell environmentally-friendly products. Within two weeks, supermarket chains acted swiftly to remove the products of one firm — APP (Asia Pulp & Paper Group) — from the shelves.

Some have urged further action —for consumer boycotts and civil legal action to sue for damages. For many years, the Singapore Institute of International Affairs has called for laws and other means to hold corporations accountable for the haze. The current and prolonged bout of haze has generated the public anger and political will to do so. But while important, there are limits to legal action. Indeed, an overemphasis on punishing corporations can have unintended and negative consequences.

BEYOND PUNISHMENT

The fires and haze result from complex and persistent problems. Going after the biggest companies in palm oil and pulp and paper is necessary, but not a silver bullet. A consumer boycott by Singapore, as some advocate, might be of limited use given the relatively small size of the market, although it is an important symbol that might have a ripple effect in similar markets.

Some companies have taken positive steps to be more transparent and accountable, and can play a positive role to help resolve the problem. The problem is more likely to be resolved when we understand who sets the fires.

Most studies have identified smaller- and mid-scale farmers as the main sources of fires and haze in Indonesia. This is often true even when fires occur on concession lands owned by the big companies.

Larger companies claim that they have little to gain from fires since this risks destroying their plantations. Conclusive proof one way or the other will be hard to establish, especially if cases are brought to Singaporean courts, far away from the site of the fire.

The fact that fires are persistent and recurring in some districts in the provinces is a clear signal that current management systems and fire-fighting capacities are inadequate. More needs to be done — immediately and over the long run — and larger companies are inescapably part of the needed response.

WHAT NEXT?

First, more companies can and should further enhance their capacity to detect and put out fires. There are already notable instances where bigger companies expend more resources in trying to put out the fires than anyone else. They also establish ways of cooperating with one another and with local agencies.

A further step would be to take up this responsibility for areas adjacent to their concessions. There may be sensitivities, but this is warranted. Provincial agencies are overstretched, and there is risk that such fires can spread and damage concessions.

Efforts to establish, train and incentivise local community in volunteer fire-fighting will also be important. Currently, many local communities are untrained and ill-equipped to fight fires, leaving them helpless in the face of a crisis that affects them most directly.

Second, preventing fires is also critical. This is especially for peatland habitats, where some two-thirds of the fires occur and result in especially dense and acrid haze pollution. Careful water management is needed as these lands become flammable during the dry season. For the longer term, it will be necessary to restore and rehabilitate burnt, drained and degraded peatlands.

At the industry level, companies should share best practices and coordinate more closely to promote sustainability. One such effort is the Indonesia Palm Oil Pledge (IPOP). Signed at the United Nations Climate Summit in 2014, the pledge commits major industry players to standards and practices that are meant to go beyond the baseline Indonesian laws and even existing certification standards established by the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO).

Third, a similar initiative for better corporate practices should be considered for the pulp and paper industry. There are international standards such as the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC), as well as Singapore’s own Green Label. But major pulp and paper companies can go further on fire management, peatland restoration and rehabilitation, community engagement and transparency.

As with all industry-led efforts, these will need to be monitored and independently verified. They should go above and complement the existing international benchmarks named, and not conflict or undermine existing standards. Even more importantly, there is a need to get other smaller industry players on board.

Fourth, large companies can directly and positively influence what happens in the supply chain. For example, before a large palm oil refinery allows a smaller supplier to sell its crude palm oil, it can audit the plantations and processing to ensure standards for sustainability, and specify that no fires have been used to clear land. This makes for better management practices that can increase productivity and help green the industry as a whole.

Government efforts to prosecute corporate wrongdoing will be a key step forward — especially in Indonesia and potentially supplemented by Singapore’s recent laws. But while wrongdoers are investigated and punished, businesses need to reform practices within the company and throughout the supply chain.

Only with the right mix of sanctions, as well as encouragement and appreciation, can the industry be fully mobilised to be key actors in the overall solution.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS:

Simon Tay and Lau Xin Yi are respectively, Chairman and Executive (Sustainability) of the Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA). This is the second of a three-part series on how governments and corporations can tackle forest fires and the haze. Watch out for the final part next week on how banks and investors can step up checks to avoid financing the haze.

Read more!

Asia Pulp & Paper hit by another company withdrawal

Today Online 20 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE — The fallout for Asia Pulp & Paper Group (APP) over alleged links to the Indonesian forest fires causing haze continues, with online grocer RedMart announcing yesterday (Oct 19) that it was withdrawing from sale all paper products sourced from the company. The withdrawal took effect at 6pm yesterday. Products affected by the withdrawal include Paseo and NICE brands.

RedMart said in a statement yesterday that it was doing so because of ongoing investigations by the National Environment Agency (NEA). The NEA has asked APP — a subsidiary of the Indonesian Sinar Mas Group — to provide more information on what it is doing to put out fires on its land concessions.

The NEA has also served preventive measures notices to six Indonesian firms, directing them to put out fires on their property: PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Sriwijaya Sentosa, PT Rimba Hutani Mas, PT Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, PT Wachyuni Mandira and PT Bumi Mekar Hijau.

Since the NEA revealed the names of the firms it is probing, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the Consumers Association of Singapore have started a campaign urging retailers and other businesses to declare they do not source for materials or products from the firms.

he SEC has also restricted the use of APP’s Singapore Green Label certification. Businesses that have come aboard to make the declaration and pull APP products off their shelves include NTUC FairPrice, Prime and Sheng Shiong. Other companies such as Watsons have clarified they do not stock Paseo, NICE and Jolly brands by APP, and is working with suppliers to run an audit to ensure that their products are not procured from the six companies accused of contributing to the haze pollution.

RedMart said it carries 13 other paper products that are certified with the Singapore Green Label, and its own RedMart-branded paper products are all certified by the Forestry Stewardship Council (FSC). “RedMart has also created a ‘FSC’ certified search option and filter within its Paper & Tissue category to encourage its customers to buy sustainably produced products,” said the company.

Read more!

Taking a leaf from Green Label products

A look at the Singapore Environmental Council's seal of approval for sustainable practices by companies in Singapore.
Liyana Othman Channel NewsAsia 20 Oct 15;

SINGAPORE: As the haze situation continues to persist, the spotlight has been on eco-labelling schemes like the Singapore Green Label, which certifies products that are environmentally friendly.

One company that had its products certified was Asia Pulp and Paper. Its Green Label has now been suspended after the National Environment Agency (NEA) launched investigations into its role in the forest fires in Indonesia. The company has admitted that fires were raging on its suppliers' land concessions.

Each company that wants to certify its products has to go through an audit process to qualify for certification.

Companies in the cement and concrete business make up about 16 per cent of firms that have earned the Singapore Green Label seal. One such company is E.MIX, a producer of pre-mix plaster and mortar used for tiles, ceilings and walls.

It has 16 products certified by the Green Label scheme and is working on getting more products endorsed. The pre-mix is made up of three components: Cement, sand and additives.

The production of cement emits a significant amount of carbon dioxide emissions. So to conserve the environment, E.MIX substitutes 4 to 10 per cent of its cement with recycled by-products of waste material.

Not only does the pre-mix plaster and mortar contain environmentally friendly materials, even the paperbags they're packed into are sustainably procured. The company also ensures its processes do not harm the environment.

"We do see a growing trend towards Green Label products,” said Mr Gordon Tan, general manager at E.MIX Industry Singapore. “The adoption of Green Label products can only speed up if the authority regulates them, or when the consumer starts to get more awareness. A good example is the haze that we have been exposed to over the past few weeks. This could have heightened consumer awareness to ask more questions about suppliers' sustainable source."

Companies that apply for the Singapore Green Label Scheme have to meet criteria set by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) to get their products certified.

"The companies that apply for the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme essentially have to meet our internal criteria for the product itself,” said head of eco-certification at SEC Kavickumar Muruganathan. “So every product, when it comes to us, they have a checklist where they have to meet. They have to submit test reports, safety data sheets of certain products as well as their whole environmental management plan, to ensure that their practices are not environmentally pollutive, and they have the best green practices."

SEC also appoints third-party auditors to act as an additional layer of checks. Companies have to pay S$1,500 to get a Green Label. The seal is good for one year and the cost of renewal is S$1,000.

"The idea in the market right now is, environmentally-friendly products usually are slightly higher-priced than normal products,” said Mr Kavickumar. “This change to help the price be lowered can't happen overnight. I think companies can actually do their part to absorb the cost of green products."

SEC also hopes that demand will increase for environmentally-friendly products. This will create greater economies of scale and result in lower prices for such products.

- CNA/ek

Read more!

Turning old things into new

Lea Wee, The Straits Times AsiaOne 18 Oct 15;

The soles of her rubber shoes had come off and Ms Nur Liyana Omar was about to throw them away when she learnt at a community meet-up that they could be repaired with contact glue. The adminis- trative executive at a research institute says: "It was the first time I had heard of such a product."

The half-day meet-up, called Repair Kopitiam, was an initiative started by social enterprise Sustainable Living Lab this February. Five meet-ups have been held so far.

At each gathering on the fourth Sunday of every month at a void deck in Jurong West Avenue 1, volunteers, or repair coaches, teach repair skills for fabric, furniture, toys and electrical appliances.

Ms Liyana, 23, has attended three meet-ups and is training to be a repair coach. "It's very empowering to be able to fix your own things. I don't have to run to my dad every time something gets damaged."

She recently tightened a plastic part in a ceiling fan that was loose. She has also helped her niece and nephew repair their toy trains.

She says: "In the past, they would just put their broken trains aside and ask for new ones. It's good that they are learning from a young age that things can be repaired."

Repair Kopitiam is one of several initiatives that had sprung up in recent years to get people to prolong the lifespan of their belongings by re-using them or, in the case of another project called Save That Pen, refilling them.

Save That Pen was founded by four students from the National University of Singapore (NUS) in 2010. It encourages people to drop their unwanted pens into "pen collection bins" in tertiary institutions including the NUS, Nanyang Technological University and Singapore Management University.

The founders, who have since graduated, and their 15 volunteers refill the pens and donate them to the underprivileged here and in the region. They do this on Saturday mornings every three months.

Ms Goh Huishan, 28, who is now a teacher, says they came up with the idea as they saw that most people here use disposable pens only once. "We wanted to encourage people to use refills," she adds.

Project Upcycle by Central Singapore Community Development Council (CDC) conducts workshops on repurposing old items. During each session, which lasts between two and four hours, participants learn to turn old clothes into bags and purses, and make book clutches out of old hardcover books and cloth.

Started in March this year, the project has run 15 workshops, each drawing about 10 participants.

Hardware retail store Home-Fix has also joined the upcycling trend. Last June, it set up a new department called XPC, which holds workshops teaching D-I-Y skills.

Projects include making signage out of planters and driftwood, and mobile-phone holders. D-I-Y fans can buy a daily or monthly pass to use the space and equipment at XPC to work on their own projects.

Mr Eugene Tay, 37, executive director of Zero Waste SG, says the growth of the D-I-Y scene has contributed to the focus on reuse here.

Zero Waste SG, a new non-profit organisation, aims to help Singapore move towards zero waste.

He says that in the past, the emphasis was on recycling but now, there is more focus on reducing waste and reusing items. He adds that reduce and reuse are "greener" options than recycling. He adds: "Recycling uses more resources as it involves breaking something down into its raw materials and processing it into a new product."

He says the trend is here to stay: "Resources are not unlimited and as landfills fill up, people have no choice but to reduce and reuse."

The landfill space at Pulau Semakau is expected to run out by 2035.

Statistics by the National Environment Agency show that the total waste generated has increased by 61 per cent from 4.7 million tonnes in 2000 to 7.5 million tonnes last year. Sixty per cent of this is recycled, mostly from industrial and commercial waste. Only 19 per cent of household waste is recycled.

Apart from green groups, there are also individuals doing their bit for the environment.

Ms Agatha Lee, 42, a former senior policy executive at National Environment Agency, is a repair coach at Repair Kopitiam. She has been running monthly clothes repair workshops on her own called Fix It Friday for the public since last November. She also posts clothes repair tutorials on her environmental website, Green Issues by Agy.

This year, she went beyond repairing to upcycling. At her ad-hoc Restyle Your Wardrobe workshops, participants learn to turn a pair of too-tight jeans into a skirt or combine a top and bottom to make a dress.

Each workshop draws about eight people. Fix It Friday, which lasts about two hours, costs about $8 a participant while Restyle Your Wardrobe, which runs for half a day, costs $85 a person.

Ms Lee, who left her job three years ago to pursue her passion full-time, started upcycling her clothes in 2008 because she did not want to throw them away. She upcycles or repairs 90 per cent of her clothes as well as her husband's and 10-year-old son's .

She co-founded the non-profit Connected Threads Asia to raise awareness about this issue through documentaries and panel discussions, among other things.

Response to the initiatives has been encouraging. Repair Kopitiam started with about 100 participants at each session and now draws double that number. Ms Farah Hidayati Sanwari, 26, who leads the initiative, says: "One participant came back and shared with us hashbrowns she had cooked with the air-fryer that was repaired.

Repair Kopitiam plans to invite schools and companies to start their own such initiatives.

The Central Singapore CDC also plans to work with community partners and schools to introduce Project Upcycle workshops.

The Save That Pen project, which is supported by Young NTUC, the youth wing of NTUC, has collected about 70,000 pens so far. It has refilled 18 per cent of them and given 20 per cent away under its Adopt-A-Pen programme.

It also has a starter kit for schools and companies to start their own programme.

More than 20 primary and secondary schools have done so.

The project founders are now looking for recycling partners to recycle the rest of the pens that cannot be reused or refilled.

Members of the public who have taken part in these green initiatives are full of praise for them.

Businessman Nah Wee Yang, 48, initially joined Repair Kopitiam to keep Yee Chern, his 13-year-old son, company.

His son loves tinkering with things at home.

But Mr Nah got hooked and the father and son have gone on to become repair coaches there.

The skills have proven to be useful.

He says he is now more confident about repairing electrical appliances at home while his son fixes his own headphones and toy guns and mends torn pillow cases.

Nr Nah says: "More importantly, we are now more mindful about throwing things away. We will always try to fix them first."

For architectural designer Felicia Ow, 31, a DIY Your Clothes workshop in March this year opened her eyes to what she could do with clothes she could no longer wear.

She picked up basic sewing skills and upcycled a sleeveless top that she had outgrown, by adding sleeves and fabric on both sides to loosen the outfit.

She says: "My family and friends loved it." She has since upcycled other clothes for herself and her family members to wear.

Mr Tony Goh, 53, also does not believe in wastage. He remembers the old days when his mother added flour, stale bread, egg and vegetables to leftover porridge to turn it into a vegetable pancake.

The father of three says: "We didn't have the means to buy more than necessary. My brothers and I were always thinking about what we could create from the things around us."

He left his job as a special scaffold designer last year to work as a maker-in-residence at XPC.

He uses unwanted pallet wood and glass bottles collected from pubs and the beach to make things that are "aesthetic and practical".

He has made table lamps out of glass bottles and a Bluetooth radio from a broken mobile phone and old radio.

He says: "It gives me a great sense of satisfaction when I create something useful out of what others had found little use for. It's my small way of contributing to the environment."

Read more!

Philippine storm weakens after killing at least sixteen, leaving thousands stranded

A typhoon swept across the northern Philippines killing at least sixteen people as trees, power lines and walls were toppled and flood waters spread far from riverbeds.
Channel NewsAsia 19 Oct 15;

STA. ROSA, Philippines: A typhoon swept across the northern Philippines killing at least sixteen people as trees, power lines and walls were toppled and flood waters spread far from riverbeds, but tens of thousands of people were evacuated in time.

Officials fear the death toll may rise after Typhoon Koppu tore through the main island of Luzon on Sunday leaving several remote towns and villages isolated due to flash floods and toppled trees and boulders blocking roads. Power was down in many areas.

The storm, downgraded to a category 1 typhoon from category 4, was moving slowly north on Monday and was forecast to weaken to a tropical storm within hours.

"We haven't reached many areas. About 60 to 70 percent of our town is flooded, some as deep as 10 feet (3 metres). There are about 20,000 residents in isolated areas that need food and water," said Henry Velarde, vice mayor of Jaen town in Nueva Ecija province, north of Manila.

The national disaster agency said two people died from falling trees and a toppled concrete wall. The coast guard said seven people died at sea.

Villages far from rivers in Nueva Ecija were flooded as water from the mountains came rushing down plains and valleys.

"We were not expecting this. Flood waters suddenly swelled around us so we evacuated to higher ground," said Reynato Simbulan, 44, a village councillor who was among hundreds who fled to schools and village halls in Sta. Rosa town in Nueva Ecija.

"We're seven kilometres away from the river but we were still inundated," Simbulan said adding five-foot floods swept away farm animals and some houses made of light materials.

Nearly 183,000 people felt the impact of the typhoon, of whom more than 65,000 had been evacuated from low-lying and landslide-prone areas, the disaster agency said. About 6,000 people were stranded in various ports across the main Luzon island.

An average of 20 typhoons hit the Philippines every year.

- Reuters/al

Flooded residents on rooftops as Koppu pummels Philippines
The slow-moving Typhoon Koppu has left at least two people dead and forced more than 60,000 people to flee from their homes, authorities say.
Channel NewsAsia 19 Oct 15;

JAEN, Philippines: Residents of flooded farming villages in the Philippines were trapped on their rooftops on Monday (Oct 19) and animals floated down fast-rising rivers, as deadly Typhoon Koppu dumped more intense rain.

Koppu, the second strongest storm to hit the disaster-plagued Southeast Asian archipelago this year, has killed two people and forced more than 60,000 people from their homes, authorities said.

After making landfall on Sunday morning on the east coast of Luzon, the Philippines' biggest island, the slow-moving typhoon has brought heavy rain to some of the nation's most important farming areas.

"I've never seen anything like this. It's the worst flood I've seen in my entire life," farmer Reynaldo Ramos, 68, told AFP as he walked through knee-deep water in Santa Rosa, about two hours' drive north of Manila.

Military, local government and volunteer rescue units were trying to help residents in about 70 villages that were under water, with the floods spreading, according to Nigel Lontoc, a regional rescue official.

"The floods are rising fast and some people are now on their rooftops," Lontoc told AFP. "The water is now too deep even for big military trucks, so our people are trying to reach them using rubber boats," he said, but added there were only 10 teams at their disposal at the moment.

Lontoc said many thousands of people may be stranded in those villages, although it was too early to determine an exact number.

PEOPLE, PIGS HUDDLE ON HIGH GROUND

In Santa Rosa, water buffalo, pigs, goats, dogs, washing machines and furniture lined the sides of a storm-tossed highway, where about 200 residents had been seeking refuge from the floods since Sunday night.

Jun Paddayuman, 27, in shorts and a white singlet caked with mud up to his chest, pointed to his nearby house, where flood waters had risen to the roof. "The waters arrived suddenly. We did not expect it at all," he told AFP.

Paddayuman said, when the waters first appeared in his house, he waded to the highway carrying his eight-month pregnant wife and leading his three-year-old son by the hand. Paddayuman said he had seen geese, chicken and dogs being carried off by the rampaging waters.

Nearby, two men pushed pigs placed on top of truck tyre inner tubes in a valiant attempt to save their hog farm from 1.2-metre high flooding.

Wide expanses of rice paddies had disappeared under torrents of knee-deep water throughout the towns and villages north of Manila because of runoff from torrential rain unleashed by Koppu on nearby mountain ranges.

"LULLED INTO COMPLACENCY"

Lontoc, the regional official, said many residents were lulled into complacency because the typhoon had passed north of the region and did not directly strike the low-lying areas.

Koppu initially hit fishing and farming communities on the east coast of Luzon with winds of 210 kilometres an hour, making it the Philippines' second most powerful storm of the year.

By mid-morning on Monday, it was on the far northwest coast of Luzon and nearly out into the South China Sea, with its strongest winds weakening to 150 kilometres an hour, the state weather service said.

But Koppu was still dumping heavy rain and it was forecast to cut back northeast over Luzon and not leave the country until Wednesday.

The Philippines is hit with about 20 major storms a year, many of them deadly. The most powerful storm ever recorded on land, Super Typhoon Haiyan, hit the Philippines in 2013, killing or leaving missing at least 7,350 people.

Koppu had so far claimed just two lives, partly because the typhoon directly passed through sparsely populated mountain and coastal ranges.

A 14-year-old boy was killed in a district of the capital on Sunday after a large tree was pulled over by the winds and fell on his house.

A 62-year-old woman died after a wall in her house collapsed due to heavy rains in Zambales, a province to northwest of Manila, on Saturday night.

Schools were closed amid stormy weather in Manila on Monday, although the capital was not badly impacted.

- AFP/rw/al

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Thailand: Indonesia smoke haze returns to Songkhla

WICHAYANT BOONCHOTE Bangkok Post 20 Oct 15;

Haze from forest fires in Sumatra, Indonesia, again covered parts of Songkhla on Tuesday, but the situation was not as serious as before, officials said.

Hat Yai city was the most affected.  From the top of Kho Hong mountain, the entire city this morning could be seen blanketed with rather thick smoke.

Halem Chemarikan, director of the 16th Regional Environment Office, said the overall haze situation in southernmost provinces was not as serious as two weeks ago.  The average air particulate reading was still under the safety standard of 120 microgrammes per cubic metre (mcg).
He believed the haze would dissipate in a few days.

Phayao Muangngam, director of the Meteorological Centre of the Eastern Coast of the South, said the haze returned to hit the South because of the influence of tropical storm Koppu in the South China Sea and the weakening high pressure wedge over upper Thailand.

She believed the situation would return to normal on Oct 22 or 23.

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Philippines: Indonesia haze reaches Mindanao, worries residents, airline officials

Philippines News Agency InterAksyon 20 Oct 15;

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- The wildfire smog in neighboring Indonesia has reached Mindanao, creating an atmospheric haze that alarmed residents and airline officials here.

Jose Bodiongan, airport manager of the Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental, on Tuesday said that an advice to conduct visual landing was issued Monday after the thick haze rendered a “zero visibility” situation in the area.

However, Bodiongan said, “everything returned to normal and the flight schedules remained unhampered.”

Luz Mercado, a weather specialist of state weather bureau Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa), said the haze is caused by the smog of Indonesia’s wildfire which also continues to affect Singapore and Malaysia.

She said the southwesterly winds drove the smog toward Mindanao, where the haze became visible in most parts of the island, particularly in the north and northeastern Mindanao regions.

Floriquita Gayo Dela Pena Dulfo, a high school principal in Bislig, Surigao Del Sur, reported on Monday that the smog became visible in the province, which caused concern among students.

Mercado said the smog and the haze could dissipate during rainfall because the smog comprises small particles that could be dissolved by rains.

The forest fire in Indonesia is caused by the illegal slash-and-burn methods to make way for the palm oil and pulp and paper plantations in Sumatra and parts of Borneo.

Astronauts and scientist manning the International Space Station (ISS) could even see the visible traces of the smoke and smog in space.

The fires have intensified in the past months, sending smog over Sumatra and Borneo that has left tens of thousands ill, forced people to wear face masks, and prompted the cancellation of flights and school classes.

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Malaysia: Elephants crossing road cause a stir

The Star 20 Oct 15;

KOTA KINABALU: Villagers at Kampung Binuang Lahad Datu, some 420km from the state capital, had a surprise when a herd of elephants, including a calf, emerged from an oil palm estate and crossed the road.

A short videoclip of the elephants could be seen on social media, with scenes of drivers and villagers stopping to make way for the animals during the incident on Friday.

Sabah Wildlife Department director William Baya said they were informed about the presence of elephants at about 5pm and immediately sent a team of rangers to monitor the situation.

The elephants were from a herd of about 27 individuals, and had emerged from the estate and were making their way up east towards the Tabin Wildlife Reserve.

“The elephants did some damage to oil palm trees and banana crops belonging to smallholders. They are retreating towards the reserve,” he said on Saturday.

“Our rangers have been working to keep the animals at bay in order to prevent or minimise damage to crops and properties,” he added.

However, Baya said the Wildlife Department could not assist in managing the conflicts or initiating translocation of the elephants due to insufficient funds.

So far, there have been no reports of injury due to the presence of the animals.

Reports of the presence and sightings of elephants have become more frequent compared to several years ago due to land development and reduction in the animals’ habitat.

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Indonesia: Navy to sink 12 illegal fishing boats

Nani Afrida, The Jakarta Post 19 Oct 15;

The war against illegal fishing activities continues with the Indonesian Navy unveiling a plan to sink 12 foreign vessels caught for conducting the activity later this week.

The Navy is scheduled to conduct the sinking in four different spots: Tarakan and Pontianak in West Kalimantan and in Batam, Riau and Aceh.

“The boats were caught by the Navy and the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry during their operations,” Navy Spokesperson Commodore M. Zainuddin said, adding that the Navy caught four boats while the ministry seized eight boats.

Seven of the boats were registered in Vietnam, four were operated by Philippines companies and one by a Thai operator.

The boats were seized after their crews failed to show permits allowing them to run their activities in the country’s territorial waters.

Along with the boats, the Indonesian authorities seized tons of fish and shrimp.

The crews had been tried and the court ruled that the boats had to be sunk. Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Minister Susi Pudjiatuti is scheduled to attend the sinking process in some of the locations.

In August this year, Indonesia sank 34 illegal fishing boats from foreign countries to celebrate 70 years since the proclamation of Indonesian independence.

The boats were mostly from neighboring countries: Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.

Article 69 of Law No. 45/2009 on fisheries stipulates that the coast guard can sink foreign vessels operating illegally in the country’s territorial waters based on sufficient preliminary evidence.

Indonesian President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo is leading the campaign against illegal fishing and says it costs the country billions of dollars in lost revenue every year.

The Indonesian authority has claimed that the number of illegal fishing activities had been reduced significantly, since Indonesia took a stern stance on the issue. However, many illegal fishermen manage to continue running their operations in the country’s territory.

On Thursday, for instance, the Navy arrested a 140-gross tons cargo ship from Belize named Orien Star with tons of fish and shrimp heading to Malaysia.

“The ship is now anchored in Belawan, North Sumatra, waiting for investigation and trial,” Zainuddin said.

He declined to give details on how the ship from the Central American country could enter Indonesian
territory.

Earlier in September, the Maritime Affairs and Fisheries Ministry arrested a Vietnamese fishing boat for allegedly operating illegally in the Indonesian Exclusive Economic Zone, around Natuna, Riau Islands.

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Indonesia: West Papua Declares Itself 'First Conservation Province' in Indonesia, World

Robert Isidorus Jakarta Globe 19 Oct 15;

Jayapura, Papua. West Papua has declared itself as the world's "first conservation province" in a signed declaration on Monday, in an bid to formally dedicate its efforts to conservation purposes.

The signing of a declaration by West Papua governor Abraham Ataruri took place at the gubernatorial office in the provincial capital of Manokwari, and was attended by Home Affairs Minister Tjahjo Kumolo and West Papua district heads.

The West Papua governor admits to being the brainchild of the idea, which is intended on protecting and managing the province's natural resources in a collective effort by its residents.

“This declaration [of transforming West Papua into a conservation site] will help us maintain and manage our natural resources wisely and continuously so that [...] the future generation can enjoy them,” Abraham said.

In order to support West Papua's to function as a conservation province, the local government has created a working group (Pokja), members of which include the People's Assembly of West Papua, the West Papua legislative council, Papua State University, and international NGOs such as WWF Indonesia, Conservation International (CI) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC).

Together, they are in the process of preparing regional bills (Ranperdasus) to govern the conservation site.

West Papua is world famous for its rich marine ecosystem and diverse flora and fauna

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Indonesia: El Nino halts Papua New Guinea gold mine-Barrick

Reuters 19 Oct 15;

Oct 19 Operations at the Porgera gold mine in Papua New Guinea have been suspended due to drought conditions, part owner Barrick Gold said on Monday, the latest mine in the Asia-Pacific to be disrupted by El Nino-induced dry weather.

Production had been halted due to low levels of water in the mine's reservoir, used in processing the raw ore, operator Barrick (Niugini) Ltd said in a statement to Reuters.

"Some water-intensive production activities at the mine have been temporarily suspended during this extended dry season, and we are using this opportunity to bring forward some scheduled maintenance activities," it said.

"The very unusual extended dry conditions that we have seen in recent months have meant that our supplies of production water have run very low, and we have made the decision to shut down our milling and processing plants for the time being to conserve our water supplies."

Barrick earlier this year forecast Porgera would yield 400,000-450,000 ounces of gold in 2015, down from its peak years of around 900,000 ounces when it was regarded as one of the world's foremost deposits.

The privately held Ok Tedi copper mine in Papua New Guinea has been forced to shut after drought cut off river transit links, while in Indonesia Freeport-McMoRan blamed El Nino when it cut its 2015 forecast for copper concentrate sales as less water affected milling.

The dry weather effects of El Nino are strongest in the tropics and peak over the winter months, which have just passed in the Southern Hemisphere.

Barrick and China's Zijin Mining each own 47.5 percent of the Porgera mine. The rest is divided equally between the government and local landowners in Enga Province in the Highlands region of Papua new Guinea. (Reporting by James Regan; Editing by Richard Pullin)

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