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Haze in Singapore: Air quality remains

unhealthy on Sunday; some sport
events continue

The haze as seen from Tiong Bahru at 12:40pm on Sept 15, 2019. ST PHOTO: NG SOR LUAN

 PUBLISHED SEP 15, 2019, 8:49 AM SGT UPDATED SEP 15, 2019, 4:18 PM


Prisca Ang (mailto:prisang@sph.com.sg)

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9/18/2019 Haze in Singapore: Air quality remains unhealthy on Sunday; some sport events continue, Environment News & Top Stories - The St…

SINGAPORE - The air quality in Singapore remains unhealthy on Sunday afternoon (Sept 15). At 3pm, the
Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading was between 104-114.

It had worsened early morning as PSI readings crossed the unhealthy level in all parts of the island. The 24-
hour PSI reading for the north, south, east, central and west entered the unhealthy range at 1am. At 8am,
the 24-hour PSI reading ranged between 107 in the east and 124 in western Singapore.

A PSI reading of 101 to 200 is in the unhealthy range, for which the National Environment Agency (NEA)
advises the public to cut down on outdoor activities.

A PSI reading of zero to 50 indicates that the air quality is good, while a reading of 51 to 100 is in the
"moderate" range. The air quality is considered to be "very unhealthy" when the PSI ranges from 201 to
300, and it is "hazardous" when the reading goes above 300. 

The PSI crossed the "unhealthy" level on Saturday for the first time since 2016 when western Singapore
showed a reading of 103 at 4pm. 

Meanwhile, PM2.5 concentration readings, which the NEA says are a better indication of current air
quality, were at normal levels in all parts of Singapore on Sunday. 

At 3pm, the one-hour PM2.5 reading ranged between 40 and 52 micrograms per cubic metre.

There are four bands on the PM2.5 concentration scale: 0 to 55 for normal, 56 to 150 for elevated, 151 to
250 for high, and very high for readings above 250.

The NEA said the deteriorating air quality is due to winds blowing more smoke haze from Sumatra, which
is south of Singapore.

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More than 300,000ha of land in Indonesia have been ravaged by fire from January to last month.

For the next few days, dry weather can be expected in Singapore and over central and southern Sumatra,
and the NEA warned that the PSI may enter the mid-section of the unhealthy range if denser haze is blown
in.
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9/18/2019 Haze in Singapore: Air quality remains unhealthy on Sunday; some sport events continue, Environment News & Top Stories - The St…

Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Masagos Zulkifli said in a Facebook post on Saturday
evening that Singapore is ready to help "suppress fires on the ground".

He wrote: "Singapore has offered technical firefighting assistance to Indonesia and is prepared to deploy
them if requested by Indonesia."

Masagos Zulkifli
on Saturday

The return of the haze is a reminder of the seriousness of the problem, which has
affected the ASEAN region for years. It both pollutes the air we breathe and emits
greenhouse gases that cause climate change. This is why there is need for stronger
resolve and cooperation amongst ASEAN countries and stakeholders, in order to
achieve our vision of a haze-free ASEAN by 2020.
As always, we stand ready to help suppress the fires on the ground. Singapore has
offered technical firef... See More

STRAITSTIMES.COM
Haze in Singapore: Air quality close to unhealthy levels, 24-hour P…
The NEA predicted for the weekend to remain hazy, although there may be brief s…

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The NEA said in a Facebook post on Sunday that poor visibility does not mean that the air is more
polluted. 

It wrote: "A significant factor of visibility is the amount of water vapour in the air. Water droplets scatter
light, resulting in lower visibility. Also, certain air pollutant particles attract water molecules, which results
in larger particles that scatter more light. This means that on days with smoke haze and high humidity or
rain, visibility can be much lower."

It added that the burning smell from the haze is due the complex mixture of gases generated by forest and
peat fires in the region. 

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9/18/2019 Haze in Singapore: Air quality remains unhealthy on Sunday; some sport events continue, Environment News & Top Stories - The St…

In a statement on its Facebook page posted on Sunday, the Ministry of Health (MOH) said that it was aware
of reports that N95 masks were sold out at some retail stores. 

"We would like to assure the public that there are sufficient stocks in the warehouses and government
stockpiles. We are working with the retailers to move available stocks to the retail shops, and stocks will be
available progressively from today,” it added.

Despite the haze, some outdoor activities continued as planned on Sunday.

Organisers of the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run, which is scheduled from 6am to 1pm, said on the event's
website and Facebook page that the run will still take place.

Participants of the Yellow Ribbon Prison Run 2019 on Sept 15, 2019. ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI

Likewise, POSB bank said on Facebook that it would proceed with events in the POSB PAssion Run for
Kids. The first two event categories, a 10km and 5km run, kicked off at 6.30am and 7am respectively, while
the last event, a 3.5km non-competitive Family Walk, started at 9.30am.

Both organisers said that the events would still be held, as PM2.5 readings were in the normal range. 

Meanwhile, organisers of the Formula One Singapore Airlines Singapore Grand Prix, which takes place
next weekend, said the event's contingency plan includes the possibility of haze.

In response to queries, a spokesman from Formula One organisers Singapore GP said: "In the event that the
haze causes visibility, public health or operational issues, Singapore GP would work closely with the
relevant agencies before making any collective decisions regarding the event."
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9/18/2019 Haze in Singapore: Air quality remains unhealthy on Sunday; some sport events continue, Environment News & Top Stories - The St…

RELATED STORIES: 

In Pictures: Haze spreads across South- Haze shuts 298 schools in Sarawak, Government agencies ready
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