Singapore's 24-hour PSI readings remain in the ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ range despite hazy conditions: Minister Grace Fu

The Minister for Sustainability and the Environment added that should the haze situation worsen, the Haze Task Force will implement various measures to safeguard public health, including minimising outdoor activities and ensuring sufficient supply of N95 masks.

With drier weather and shifting wind patterns expected to fuel hotspot activity around the region, Singapore could see hazier days ahead as the dry phase of the Northeast Monsoon sets in.

In a parliamentary response on the latest assessment of transboundary haze affecting Singapore, Grace Fu, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment has flagged a higher risk of smoke drifting in from nearby areas in the coming weeks.

While conditions bear watching, air quality has so far remained manageable, with 24-hour PSI readings staying within the ‘Good’ to ‘Moderate’ range and peaking at 69 in early February, she shared.

One option which was floated in Parliament — cloud seeding — is unlikely to help, said Minister Fu. Given Singapore’s small size and variable winds, any induced rain may simply fall elsewhere, limiting its effectiveness.

Instead, she said, the focus remains on regional cooperation and preparedness. The ASEAN Specialised Meteorological Centre, based in Singapore, continues to share hotspot data, forecasts, and early warnings with fellow ASEAN member states.

Singapore is also working with neighbours through platforms such as the ASEAN Agreement on Transboundary Haze Pollution (AATHP) and the Ministerial Steering Committee on Transboundary Haze Pollution, as well as supporting Indonesia in operationalising the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Transboundary Haze Pollution Control.

On the home front, agencies are staying ready rather than reactive. Should conditions worsen, Minister Fu affirmed that the Haze Task Force (HTF), led by NEA and comprising 28 government agencies, will implement measures to safeguard public health, particularly for vulnerable populations such as the elderly, pregnant women, children, and people with chronic lung and heart diseases.

These measures include the issuing of advisories to minimise outdoor activities and ensuring sufficient supply of N95 masks. Additionally, indoor air purifiers will also be deployed in premises where vulnerable groups are likely to congregate, such as schools, public hospitals, nursing homes and polyclinics.

Minister Fu concluded: "Members of the public may stay updated through NEA's website, the MyENV app, and the dedicated haze microsite." 

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Lead image / MDDI YouTube