Malaysia: Johor to collect RM50mil annually from raw water levy

NELSON BENJAMIN The Star 23 Mar 15;

JOHOR BARU: Johor hopes to collect RM50mil annually from the levy imposed for sourcing raw water from the sea, rivers, lakes or even underground in the state.

State Public Works, Rural and Regional Development Committee chairman Datuk Hasni Mohammad said even power plants using ­sea­water to cool their turbine would be subjected to the new rates.

Hasni said the rate for those using water for commercial purposes was 10 sen for each cubic metre of water used while five sen for agriculture purposes such as for oil palm.

“Even those sourcing water from underground for bottled water are subjected to these new rates,” he said in an interview.

Hasni said the state was losing millions as there were no proper laws governing the use of raw water at present.

He said the Johor Water Regulatory Body (Bakaj) had issued about 100 permits.

Each location, he added, would be fitted with a meter similar to the ones installed at homes or commercial lots.

“Bakaj officers will check and issue a bill every month for them to pay according to their usage,” Hasni added.

He said these new levy was imposed following the implementation of the new Water Enactment in the state which also governs the use of raw water.

On another issue, Hasni said the state was hoping for RM7.674bil from the Federal Government for infrastructure and rural development under his portfolio in the 11th Malaysia Plan beginning next year.

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Indonesia considers lowering palm oil export tax threshold -industry

Reuters 18 Mar 15;

(Reuters) - Indonesia is considering lowering the threshold it applies to its monthly export tax for crude palm oil (CPO), a major industry group in the world's top producer said on Friday, in an effort to aid some processing industries hurt by low prices.

When international and local crude palm oil prices average below $750 a tonne, Indonesia currently cuts the CPO export tax it sets each month to zero.

Government ministries are now in talks about cutting the threshold to between $500-$600 a tonne, Derom Bangun, chairman at the Indonesian Palm Oil Board (IPOB) said after a meeting with other palm groups to discuss the issue.

"They would like to lower the threshold so the tax can be applied even if the price is lower than $600," said Bangun, adding that he had spoken to government officials about the matter and that no timeline had yet been given.

"The ministry of industry especially would like to have this change so the downstream industry, which is now in a difficult situation, can get back to full operations," added Bangun, whose group is an umbrella organisation of major Indonesian palm oil associations and gives policy recommendations to the government.

Indonesia's trade and industry ministry could not be reached for comment on Wednesday.

Southeast Asia's biggest economy set its crude palm oil export tax for March at zero, unchanged since October last year. Malaysian palm oil futures have fallen 20 percent over the last year.

The CPO export tax, which was designed to aid processing industries and secure domestic supplies of the tropical oil, rises to a maximum of 22.5 percent depending on how far above $750 average prices climb.

Looking to protect its biofuels industry against lower crude prices and cut costly diesel imports, Indonesia introduced several biodiesel mandates in recent weeks and has mooted the idea of tax breaks for CPO producers.

Major palm oil firms operating in Indonesia include PT Sinar Mas Agro Resources and Technology, Malaysia's Sime Darby and Singapore-based Wilmar International Ltd .

(Additional reporting by Dennys Kapa; Reporting by Michael Taylor; Editing by William Hardy)

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Best of our wild blogs: 22 Mar 15

Paint along with Pui San, 29 Mar 2015
from Art in Wetlands

Life History of the Ultra Snow Flat
from Butterflies of Singapore

Morning Walk At Admiralty Park (21 Mar 2015)
from Beetles@SG BLOG

Water everywhere… Happy World Water Day!
from BES Drongos

7 Suggestions for Public Consultation on Climate Change and Singapore
from Green Future Solutions

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Waterways warrior calls for more hands to help keep waters clean

Jack Board Channel NewsAsia 22 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE: Eugene Heng is a veteran hand when it comes to plying Singapore’s extensive waterways. He is a warden of the canals that stream like veins through an urban landscape, a loyal protector of the waters that give life to a thirsty nation.

The reservoirs are not like they used to be. Where once armed guards stood patrolling alongside barbed wire fences, now the water is an aquatic playground, where children rock playfully on dragonboats and keen athletes test their prowess on streamlined kayaks.

With no natural water source, Singapore as a nation has historically needed to fight and innovate to keep the taps running and the environment in check. And Eugene, the founder of Waterways Watch Society, understands better than most just how fragile water can be.

DRAINING SYSTEM TODAY, DRINKING WATER TOMORROW

“You cannot create water and with the irregular weather and conditions we are experiencing, one cannot take water for granted. Water is life, and every one of us has a responsibility to understand this and behave in a way that respects this commodity,” he said.

Under an overpass of the Nicoll Highway, on the banks of Marina Reservoir, Eugene’s understated headquarters for his non-government organisation provides a perfect vantage point to watch the reservoir come to life with water users, and to launch out into its cobalt expanse.

But Eugene is no sight-seer. His mission is to patrol, monitor and educate and he has dedicated a life to encouraging his countrymen and women to treasure a precious resource. At the very least, he wants them to stop polluting it.

Yet, he remains troubled on a daily basis by the amount of pollution washing into the country’s reservoirs, waste created by the dozens of communities and townships up river, which eventually flows into Singapore’s source of drinking water.

“The Marina Reservoir is so urban-connected with people, and people create litter. You cannot blame it on anyone else,” he said. “We find plastic bags, drink cans and even a lot of household items. That tells you people are either ignorant or irresponsible. Your drainage system today is actually your drinking water tomorrow."

"WATER IS OUR LIFELINE"

As we explore the passages around the reservoir, litter is not hard to spot. Most of it is clustered at the water’s edges where pieces of plastic, food waste and styrofoam lay congealed in a thick vacuum of muddy ooze. After heavy rain the problem is greatly magnified.

“We actually find a lot of litter, and pollution of our waterways in terms of oil, paint and foam, and all this relates to the fact that there are a lot of people not understanding that this waterway is our lifeline,” he said.

Eugene is also able, with regular timing, to reach into the water using his trusty net to extract bottles, cans and even the odd badly-injured bird, which he takes ashore for treatment. He laments that other water users do not do the same, simple acts that would collaboratively help keep the water clean and contribute to a feeling of collective ownership.

“What is really disappointing is when we see young people enjoying their kayaking and dragonboating, and they pass floating trash bags without a second thought of picking it up,” he said.

“For 16 years we've been here, and I have never, ever seen any water user actually stop and pick it up. That's very sad.”

Nearby fishermen cast their lines illegally. They are meant to only fish in designated areas of the reservoir, but Eugene says, like the fish, they rarely go where they are told. A woman bathes neck deep by the shoreline. Swimming is illegal and Eugene puts over on his motorboat to gently suggest she move on.

A 'CLEANED' NATION

Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong recently bemoaned how the nation is becoming more cleaned than clean, and nowhere is this more evident than Marina Reservoir, where dozens of cleaners on land and on water wearily earn their pay, filling endless bags with trash.

“As we increase our population from 5.4 million to 6.9 million this problem will be even more challenging, and hiring more cleaners is not the solution,” Eugene said. “If we are able to educate, share with people - if the people are more aware and take more social responsibility and take more ownership and they now know what to do and what not to do - I think you will find much less litter in our waterways.”

Eugene is far from a solitary voice in trying to promote this message. His organisation has about 400 volunteer members who help conduct regular education workshops for school students and corporate groups as well as providing bicycles and kayaks to encourage learning beyond the group’s makeshift classroom.

His work in turn has been widely recognised in Singapore. He was given the President’s Award for the Environment in 2014 and a Public Service Medal in 2005 for his role in environmental conservation. At the core of his mantra is a yearning to see each Singaporean play their part.

“For us, prevention is better than cure,” he said. “While you have this resource, don't take it for granted, enjoy it, respect, value it - don't pollute it."

UN World Water Day is held every year on March 22, highlighting a different global water issue each year. For more information click here.

- CNA/jb

World Water Day: Water self-sufficiency part of Lee Kuan Yew's legacy, says DPM Teo, Grace Fu
Hetty Musfirah Abdul Khamid, Channel NewsAsia 21 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE: Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean said it was Mr Lee Kuan Yew's determination and the vision as the nation's first Prime Minister which pushed Singapore towards water self-sufficiency.

Speaking at celebrations to mark World Water Day at the Sports Hub on Saturday (Mar 21), Mr Teo wished Mr Lee well. The former Minister Mentor has been at the Singapore General Hospital since Feb 5, when he was admitted for severe pneumonia.

"Right here on the river in the 1960s and 1970s where the water was black, oily and dirty, he had the vision to think of this place as a beautiful bay that we could clean up and enjoy and which can give us life-giving water and with determination and persistence, and with cooperation from everyone, this is what we have today – a beautiful bay with life-giving water," said the Deputy Prime Minister.

Mr Teo said that with Singapore marking 50 years of nation building this year, Singaporeans should remember the hard work that enabled Singapore to transform the country's water vulnerability into an advantage.

And looking ahead, Mr Teo said climate change will pose new challenges to the country's sustainable development efforts. To safeguard Singapore against changing weather patterns, the Government will continue to invest in water infrastructure ahead of demand, he said.

For example, a third desalination plant at Tuas will be completed by 2017, adding another 30 million gallons a day of desalinated water to Singapore's water supply.

Over at celebratons at Jurong Lake, Minister in the Prime Minister's Office and Second Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu said during his term as Prime Minister, Mr Lee was very conscious to make the country's water supply a key priority.

"With disappointment and sadness that we are now facing the reality that our founding prime minister is critically ill in hospital, I think it is very timely and appropriate on this day to really remember and acknowledge the contributions of Mr Lee," she said.

"From the very first day, Mr Lee has highlighted the importance of water, particularly from a security and sovereignty point of view. Connected by water pipelines at the time of independence, Singapore needed water from other countries to keep us alive, so that was of critical, strategic importance - a factor that really has a profound effect on how we were going to survive as a new country.

"And in fact, the Water Supply Agreement forms part of the Separation Agreement and both of them became the Document of Independence. We owe it to Mr Lee today, that we can proudly say that through 30, 40 years of research development and hard work we have almost reached water self-sufficiency."

Water demand in Singapore is currently about 400 million gallons a day - a figure which is set to double by 2060. That is equivalent to more than 1,400 Olympic-sized swimming pools.

- CNA/es

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Australia: Reef 2050 plan a good start - but much more investment needed

WWF 21 Mar 15;

Sydney, Australia – WWF-Australia said the final Reef 2050 plan released today includes a number of good initiatives but the $100 million in new funding announced by the federal government falls short of what’s required to halt the Reef’s decline and remove the threat that it is listed ‘World Heritage in danger’.

The joint Australian/Queensland Government blueprint is the key factor to be considered by the World Heritage Committee when it decides this June whether to list the Reef.

“It’s a positive sign to see the new Queensland Government’s Reef election commitments have been added to the plan including the intention to ban the dumping of dredge spoil in the World Heritage Area,” said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman.

“Whilst we welcome the Federal Government’s ban on dumping in the marine park we repeat our call for a federal ban to cover the entire World Heritage Area because that would provide the strongest level of protection.

“It’s critical that we see a ban implemented before the World Heritage Committee meets in three months’ time,” he said.

“We welcome that the Queensland and Federal Government are committed to achieving an 80% reduction in nitrogen run-off by 2025 and will both inject an additional $100 million over five years to tackle pollution.

“But considering the Reef will generate $30 billion for the economy over the next five years, a much more substantial investment from the Federal Government is not unreasonable.

“Billions not millions are needed to save the Reef.

“The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority must also be given the legal powers and resources it needs to become a champion for the Reef.

“The long-term survival of the Great Barrier Reef depends on the world acting together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including stronger action from Australia.

“When it comes to the Reef the existing level of spending is simply not working. The Federal Government’s own Outlook Report says the Reef is in poor shape and getting worse,” Mr O’Gorman said.

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Carbon emissions from forests down by 25% between 2001-2015

Better forest management and slowdown in deforestation contribute to emission reduction
FAO 20 Mar 15;

20 March 2015, Rome - Total carbon emissions from forests decreased by more than 25 percent between 2001 and 2015, mainly due to a slowdown in global deforestation rates, according to new estimates published by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) today.

Global emissions from deforestation dropped from 3.9 to 2.9 Gigatonnes (Gt) of carbon dioxide (CO2) per year over the period of 2001-2015. Deforestation is defined as a land-use change, from forest to other land uses.

"It is encouraging to see that net deforestation is decreasing and that some countries in all regions are showing impressive progress. Among others, they include Brazil, Chile, China, Cape Verde, Costa Rica, Philippines, Republic of Korea, Turkey, Uruguay, and Viet Nam," said FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva. "I urge all those countries to share their successful experiences with other countries. Through South-South Cooperation programme, FAO is ready to facilitate this collaboration and knowledge exchange."

FAO emphasized at the same time that despite the overall reduction in carbon emissions from forests linked to less deforestation, emissions from forest degradation have significantly increased between 1990 and 2015, from 0.4 to 1.0 Gt CO2 per year. Forest degradation is a reduction in tree biomass density from human or natural causes such as logging, fire, windthrows and other events.

FAO published these figures for the first time on the occasion of the International Day of Forests, celebrated on 21 March 2015. The data are excerpts from a larger FAO study based on the FAOSTAT Emissions database and FAO's Global Forest Resources Assessment 2015 (FRA), which will be launched in September 2015 as one of the highlights of the XIV World Forestry Congress in Durban. This will be the first time this global event is organized in Africa, under the auspices of the Government of South Africa, with more than 5,000 participants expected.

Managing forests sustainably to address the impacts of climate change

A more sustainable management of forests will result in a reduction in carbon emissions from forests and has a vital role to play in addressing the impacts of climate change, the FAO Director-General stressed.

"Forests are critical to the Earth's carbon balance and hold about three-quarters as much carbon as is in the whole atmosphere. Deforestation and forest degradation increase the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, but forest and tree growth absorbs carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas emissions", he said.

Graziano da Silva also highlighted the important role of sustainable agriculture to reduce pressure on forests, along with implementing the UN-REDD programme to reduce emissions from deforestation and forest degradation.

Imbalances between countries and regions

The absorption of carbon by forests helps to counterbalance, although not entirely, overall emissions due to the conversion of forests to other types of land use. Forests absorb and store an additional two billion tonnes of CO2 per year (2011-2015), excluding emissions from deforestation. Half of the forest carbon sink is related to growth in planted forests.

Developed countries continue to represent the bulk of the overall estimated carbon sink, with a share of 60 percent (2011-2015). This share, however, has decreased from 65 percent (2001-2010), mainly due to a decrease in the establishment of new planted forests.

Developing countries account for the remaining 40 percent of the total carbon sink.

At the regional level, Africa, Asia and Latin America and the Caribbean all continued to release more carbon than they absorb, although emissions from Africa and Latin America decreased between 1990 and 2015. Brazil alone represented more than 50 percent of the overall estimated reduction in carbon emissions between 2001and 2015.

The forests of Europe and North America functioned as net carbon sinks between 1990 and 2015 since they absorb more carbon than they release, whereas Oceania did not show a clear trend in forest emissions over the same period.

Methodology

The FAO analysis is based on national data reported to the agency by countries using ground-based and aerial measurements. They are not directly comparable to measurements using satellite imagery only, which, although useful, do not capture certain types of forests or stages in the growth cycle, and do not easily capture land-use change dynamics.

For example, dry forests in Africa or central Brazil have great spaces between trees and often have few leaves for large parts of the year, making them difficult to capture by remote sensing, and regular harvesting activities in managed forests may be detected as deforestation by satellite surveys.

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World on track to meet ambitious forest restoration goal
IUCN 21 Mar 15;

Bonn, Germany, 21 March, 2015 – New restoration initiatives were announced today by Latin America, Southeast Asia and Africa at the second international Bonn Challenge conference on forest landscape restoration taking place in Germany. With these announcements, a total of 59.2 million hectares have now been contributed to the Bonn Challenge – a global movement to restore 150 million hectares of degraded and deforested land by 2020.

The conference brought together environment ministers and government representatives from China, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Guatemala, Indonesia, Liberia, Republic of Korea, Sweden and the US, along with representatives from key donor countries, such as Germany and Norway, business leaders and nature conservation organisations.

"We are well on our way to achieving our goal of restoring a total of 150 million hectares of destroyed forests by 2020," says Federal Environment Minister Barbara Hendricks. "With the restoration of forests we can pursue multiple objectives simultaneously: We can do something about climate change and species extinction and help restore the livelihoods of millions of people.”

At today’s meeting, El Salvador revealed its plans to launch a Central American partnership for restoration. In Africa, Ethiopia and Liberia announced continued action on the Great Green Wall Initiative, which aims to curb the spread of the Sahara by restoring forests. In Southeast Asia new ideas to extend cooperation between governments and businesses on forest restoration were announced.

“The world is recognising that forest landscape restoration offers a critical contribution to addressing some of our global challenges, such as climate change, biodiversity, food security and economic growth,” says Inger Andersen, Director General of IUCN, one of the co-hosts of the event. “The Bonn Challenge is about much more than simply planting trees – it’s about addressing the most pressing issues of our generation, and of future generations.”

The Bonn Challenge was launched in 2011 at an event co-hosted by Germany and IUCN. It was endorsed at the 2014 Climate Summit and supplemented by the New York Declaration on Forests with a goal to restore an additional 200 million hectares by 2030.

According to IUCN, achieving the 150 million hectare challenge could bring more than USD 85 billion per year to local and national economies and USD 6 billion in additional crop yields. Achievement of the goal could also reduce the current CO2 emissions gap by 11 to 17 percent.

A New Climate Economy analysis found that achieving the expanded Bonn Challenge goal of 350 million hectares by 2030 could generate USD170 billion per year in net benefits from watershed protection, improved crop yields and forest products, alongside carbon sequestration.

In addition to restoration commitments from countries and organisations, key donors noted today that they would increase their support for global restoration
“We are now at the point where just reducing emissions will not be enough,” says Tine Sundtoft, Norway’s Minister of Climate and Environment. “We must actively remove carbon out of the atmosphere. Forest restoration is the most cost-effective carbon capture option we have. The New Climate Economy Report from last year showed us that conserving and enhancing the forest can be done. And it can be done while also achieving economic growth.”
Support for restoration is also increasingly coming from private sector sources.

“Restoring millions of hectares of degraded land is one of the great ideas of our times,” says Dr. Andrew Steer, President & CEO of the World Resources Institute, a co-host of the event. “No wonder, then, that political and financial momentum is building across every continent.”

The Bonn Challenge conference was co-organised by the German Federal Environment Ministry, the Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

Notes to editors

To mark the International Day of Forests (March 21) proclaimed by the United Nations, the Bonn Challenge participants have planted a maple tree together as a symbol of their joint efforts. A photo of the event as well as photos of the conference can be found here: www.bmub.bund.de/G49889

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Best of our wild blogs: 21 Mar 15

Forest City reclamation seen from Singapore's last western reefs at Tuas
from wild shores of singapore

Singapore's last western reefs are alive!
from wild shores of singapore

Underwater fantasy at Tuas
from wonderful creation

Pasir Ris Mangroves: New Beans
from The Green Beans

Close Encounter With A Stag Beetle
from Beetles@SG BLOG

Singapore Waste Statistics from 2003 to 2014
from Zero Waste Singapore

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Fish Farmers Association, AVA discuss ways to alleviate plankton problem

Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE: The Fish Farmers Association of Singapore met with the Agri-food and Veterinary Authority (AVA) on Friday (Mar 20), to discuss possible ways of alleviating the "red tide" plankton or algae bloom problem, as well as providing assistance to affected fish farmers.

This was in response to the red tide occurrence last month, which affected about 55 fish farms and resulted in the deaths of almost 600 tonnes of fish.

Currently, fish farmers can get financial assistance from the Agriculture Productivity Fund. But fish farmers hope authorities can help cover 90 per cent of their equipment costs this year - 20 per cent more than last year - to help them through this difficult period.

In terms of dealing with the cause of the plankton bloom, the Fish Farmers Association proposed spraying clay into the sea to clump the water, hence killing off the plankton - a method which has been successfully tested in Korea and Japan.

Some fish farmers also expressed their hope that authorities will allow the temporary shifting of their farms to Pulau Tekong as a short-term solution if a similar episode reoccurs.

Further discussions with AVA will take place next week.

Mr Chan Wei Loong, Programme Chair for Marine Science and Aquaculture at Republic Polytechnic, said: “Shifting to another area to farm, it could be feasible, really depending on the location because for the south of Tekong, I guess it is actually closer to the open ocean, then obviously the current flow as well as the water flow could be better.

“And if it is better, then obviously chances of having an algae bloom because of nutrients being congregated together at a certain location are (lower)."

Said Mr Timothy Ng, president of the Fish Farmers Association of Singapore: "Unfortunately, what we heard or what was told to us was that the Government at this moment has no plans to give financial assistance for restocking or restarting.

“We were asking basically that apart from fish fry, assistance on restocking of fish fry, that there could be some assistance also on feeding of the fish, the fish feed, because that constitutes the biggest part of the costs of any fish farming operations."

- CNA/ms

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Why Singapore still needs more cars

Christopher Tan, The Straits Times AsiaOne 20 Mar 15;

WHEN the COE system was just four years old in 1994, well-respected transport and behavioural economist Anthony Chin predicted that, in time, only top earners in Singapore would be able to afford cars.

The Government dismissed his assertion and, in the two decades since, it would seem that Professor Chin - who died last year at the age of 57 after a short illness - got it wrong.

Car ownership has been rising, not falling. By 2012, 45 per cent of households owned cars - up from less than 35 per cent when the certificate of entitlement (COE) system was introduced in 1990.

But the trend is reversing. After allowing the car population to grow at 3 per cent a year since 1990, the Government halved it to 1.5 per cent in 2009. The cap has been lowered three more times since and is now at 0.25 per cent.

And last week, Senior Minister of State for Transport Josephine Teo announced in Parliament that it is likely to go to zero per cent some time "in the future".

With Singapore's population growing, what this means is that the percentage of car-owning households will start shrinking. In fact, the contraction has already started.

Currently, it is estimated that 44 per cent of households own cars - one percentage point lower than in 2012. And when the population grows to, say, 6.9 million, that figure could go down to 35 per cent.

That is assuming the number of cars remains constant. But there are signs that the car population has been dipping, even with an allowed 0.25 per cent growth.
Last month, there were 597,152 cars on the road, the lowest number in four years.

If and when zero growth kicks in some time "in the future", the shrinkage might well accelerate. Then, the late Prof Chin's pronouncement in 1994 might ring true indeed.

It is not an unexpected outcome, though. Any pricing mechanism, taken to its logical end, will always mean the less well-to-do making way for the more well-to- do. And in any land-scarce city, it is also logical that the majority relies on public transport.

The question is: Why did we allow the car population to grow at 3 per cent per annum for 18 long years before deciding that it was not sustainable?

It is much harder to persuade someone who has been driving to give up his car than to convince him he does not need a car before he went out and bought one.

So why 3 per cent? Actually, the growth rate was pegged at just below the historical growth rate of Singapore's car population in the pre-COE days before 1990.

And it was pegged well below the foreseeable growth rate that would have resulted from rising income levels.

Here's the interesting thing, though. The actual growth rate was more than 3 per cent. Between 1991 and 2010, the car population grew by an average of 4 per cent per annum.

This was largely because the Government could not get the COE supply formula right and, for many years, dished out far more certificates than the number of cars taken off the road.

It came to a point where people who would normally buy a motorcycle decided to fork out a bit more for a car instead. One could get a new budget car for well under $30,000.
The oversupply situation was so serious that even motor traders publicly called for the COE supply to be cut.

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NEA tightens industrial emissions standards to improve air quality

Channel NewsAsia 20 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE: New industries in the Republic will have to meet tighter industrial emissions standards over a range of pollutants with effect from Jul 1, the National Environmental Agency (NEA) announced in a news release on Friday (Mar 20).

The introduction of more stringent standards is part of NEA's "continued effort to further improve air quality and safeguard public health", said the release.

NEA said existing plants will be granted a grace period - until Jul 1, 2018 - to comply with the revised standards for compounds of mercury, lead, cadmium, ammonia and hydrogen fluoride. The standards for particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide have also been revised, and for this the grace period will end on Jul 1, 2023.

“NEA has been in consultation with the affected companies since early 2014 on the revision of industrial emissions standards,” the release added. “The grace period will give them time to adjust their plans - for example, upgrades of equipment - and processes so that they can meet the standards and still achieve their business outcomes.”

The NEA is also introducing a daily site-average limit for sulphur dioxide, that it says will help regulate the emissions generated from combustion sources on a daily basis. The industrial activity in Singapore accounts for about 99 per cent of the locally generated sulphur dioxide emissions, it added.

“Tightening the emissions standards will encourage industries to continually review and improve their industrial processes, equipment design and daily operational protocols to reduce emissions of pollutants,” it added.

LIST OF REVISED EMISSION STANDARDS



- CNA/ct

Tougher emission standards for companies here from July
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Mar 15;

Companies in Singapore will have to meet tougher emission standards for a wide range of pollutants from July this year, to help improve the country's air quality.

Announcing the new guidelines yesterday, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the pollutants include mercury, cadmium, ammonia, lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

From July, new industrial plants will have to comply with the higher standards.

Existing plants have until July 1, 2018 to meet some of the guidelines, and until July 1, 2023 for the rest.

The NEA said: "The introduction of the more stringent standards will serve to improve our air quality as we strive towards achieving our air quality goals for 2020 and beyond."

It added that it had been in consultation with affected firms since early last year, and the grace period will give them time to adjust.

For example, they can upgrade their equipment.

Tightening the standards will encourage firms to continually review and improve their operations.

It is also in line with the Government's goal of growing industries here sustainably in the long term.

The NEA also introduced a daily limit for sulphur dioxide emissions from combustion sources, since industrial activity makes up 99 per cent of the emissions generated locally.

In 2012, motor vehicles made up the remaining 1 per cent, according to statistics on the NEA's website.

Last year, the Republic's sulphur dioxide, fine particulate matter, particulate matter and ozone emissions all exceeded World Health Organisation guidelines.
Emissions here, however, are affected by haze from neighbouring countries.

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3-hour PSI tops 100 in Singapore, dips into 'Unhealthy' range

Today Online 20 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE: Haze was reported by members of the public on Friday afternoon (Mar 20), with the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading hitting 102 at 4pm, dipping into the 'Unhealthy' range.

The three-hour PSI reading at 8am was 65, before steadily rising. It continued to increase throughout the day. At 2pm, the 24-hour PSI was 64 to 73.

It crossed into the 'Unhealthy' range at 102 at 4pm and by 6pm, it peaked at 106. At 8pm the 3-hour PSI dropped back in the 'Moderate' range, at 99.

The Meteorological Service Singapore (MSS) said that the "slight haziness could be due to the accumulation of particulate matter in the air under light wind conditions".

The National Environment Agency (NEA) added that "burning activities in the Northern ASEAN region, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter."

NEA said hazy conditions are expected to persist for the rest of the day, with Saturday's 24-hour PSI expected to be in the 'Moderate' range. It said "given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, everyone can continue with normal activities".

At 12.40pm, Channel NewsAsia received a call from Mr Wee, a member of the public, who said it was “very hazy” in Macpherson. A Twitter user, Jonathan Leong, said that it was "slightly hazy in Jurong this morning."

Yudi Setiawan also posted a photo on Instagram of hazy conditions this morning.

- CNA/ct


Air quality hits unhealthy levels, PSI peaks at 106
Today Online 21 Mar 15;

SINGAPORE — Air quality reached unhealthy levels yesterday, when the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) breached the 100-mark. And the hazy conditions could continue into today, with the 24-hour PSI to be in the moderate range of 51 to 100.

Yesterday, the three-hour PSI crossed into unhealthy territory at 4pm, and peaked at 6pm at 106, before dipping out of the unhealthy range at 8pm. By 9pm, the three-hour PSI reading was 88. The 24-hour PSI readings ranged between 75 to 83.

Responding to media queries, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said: “The haziness is likely due to an accumulation of increased particulate matter in the atmosphere under light wind conditions throughout today. Burning activities in the northern ASEAN region, peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter.” The regional haze map posted on its website showed that clusters of hot spots were detected mainly in Myanmar and some were scattered in Thailand.

Air quality enters the unhealthy level when PSI is between 101 and 200. The three-hour PSI readings began climbing after 7am yesterday, reaching 71 at 11am, 74 at noon and 80 at 1pm. It then hit 86 at 2pm and 94 at 3pm.

The agency added that PM2.5 levels were elevated in most regions of Singapore yesterday. Noting that prevailing winds today are expected to be light and variable in direction, they said hazy conditions can still be expected.

Given the air quality forecast for the next 24 hours, the public can continue with normal activities, the NEA said, but noted that the health impact of haze is dependent on one’s health status, the PSI level and the length and intensity of outdoor activity.

Haze returns, expected to continue today
Feng Zengkun The Straits Times AsiaOne 21 Mar 15;
Hazy skies returned to Singapore yesterday and are expected to darken part of the island today as well.

The National Environment Agency (NEA) said last night that the return of the haze was likely due to an accumulation of increased particulate matter in the atmosphere under the light wind conditions. "Burning activities in the northern ASEAN region, Peninsular Malaysia and Sumatra could have contributed to the increased concentration of particulate matter," it added.

The day began yesterday with relatively clear skies, but the air quality deteriorated throughout most of the day, from 1am to 6pm, before improving slightly in the night.

By 4pm, the three-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) had crossed 100, the threshold where air becomes unhealthy. The three-hour PSI averages air quality readings in the previous three hours.

By 5pm, even the 24-hour index, which the Government has said is a better indicator of whether people should worry about their health, had inched close to that threshold, ranging from 69 to 92 across the island.

People in eastern Singapore, where the haze was worst yesterday evening, said they were worried that the burning smell was here to stay. "I was really hoping we wouldn't have to go through the face masks and air purifiers again," said 28-year-old sales assistant Joy Thng.

The NEA said hazy conditions can still be expected today, although the 24-hour PSI is expected to be in the moderate range.

Everyone can continue with normal activities given the air quality forecast, but people who are not feeling well should seek medical attention, it said.

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Indonesia: Mining activities continue unabated

Lita Aruperes, The Jakarta Post 20 Mar 15;

Efforts made by activists to obstruct mining projects in North Sulawesi due to their negative environmental impacts have been made increasingly difficult by the issuance of new licenses in the sector by local governments.

Head of North Sulawesi Energy and Mineral Resources Agency, Marly Gumalag, said that as of March 2015, 145 mining licenses (IUP) had been issued by regency, city and provincial administrations.

“They are spread in 12 out of North Sulawesi’s 15 regencies and cities, covering a combined area of 403,000 hectares,” Marly said.

Only three regions in North Sulawesi province are currently free of mining concessions, namely Sitaro regency, Kotamobagu city and Manado city.

Of the 145 licenses issued, according to Marly, 63 have been allocated for stone-mining activities, 60 for gold mining, and the rest for iron sand, manganese, nickel and iron ore.

Flora Kalalo from Sam Ratulangi University (Unsrat) Manado has blamed the environmental damage in the province on the numerous mining licenses issued by the local administration, many of which were illegal.

“Still, licenses continue being issued. Why? because its money doing the talking,” said the environmental law expert.

As an example, Flora pointed to the licenses handed out to mining companies on Bangka Island, East Likupang district, North Minahasa regency.

Flora said Bangka Island was a small island where mining was prohibited, but that the licenses were given out anyway.

“When money interferes in the name of investment, then many rules are put aside. The result is damage to the environment,” said Flora, who is also Unstrat’s deputy rector overseeing administration and finance.

In recent months, locals have staged regular demonstrations against mining in the province.

On Tuesday, for example, dozens of people from Buyat subdistrict, East Bolaang Mongondow (Boltim) regency, filed a complaint against a mining company with the Legal Aid Institute (LBH) Manado.

A local representative for Buyat, Alfian Lasabuda, said mining had damaged the environment and created social divisions.

“People are now divided into two groups: those who are against and those who are for the mining. In such a situation, horizontal conflicts can just pop up, both mentally and physically,” Alfian said.

Alfian urged the Boltim administration to respond to the situation by siding with the people whose communities were being divided by the mining interests.

- See more at: http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2015/03/20/mining-activities-continue-unabated.html#sthash.j5ch9y8T.dpuf

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