Singapore haze: PM2.5 readings high in 3 regions; air quality unhealthy in all regions

SINGAPORE: Hourly PM2.5 readings were in the high range in central, western and eastern Singapore at 11pm on Thursday (Oct 15), a day after readings spiked around the country.

The 1-hour PM2.5 readings for the northern and southern regions were in the elevated band. 

At 11pm, the 24-hour PSI remained in the unhealthy band across the country, ranging from 130 to 198.

The 1-hour PM2.5 readings in the central and west regions were in the high range earlier on Thursday – central from 10am to 2pm and the west from 11am to noon. 

The readings in the south and east were also in the high band from 11am to noon and 2pm to 3pm, respectively.

The 24-hour PSI in the west, which had been in the very unhealthy band since 9pm on Wednesday, dropped back into the unhealthy band at 3pm. 

The west's 24-hour PSI peaked at 212 on Thursday – a new high for Singapore this year.

In its latest Thursday advisory, the NEA said that dense smoke haze from fires in Kalimantan continued to drift towards Singapore under prevailing southeasterly winds, with smoke haze also observed over Sumatra.

Showers are expected over Singapore and the surrounding region on Friday, but 
southern Sumatra and parts of Kalimantan are likely to remain dry, the agency said.

Smoke haze will likely continue to be carried from Kalimantan towards Singapore, with the winds forecast to be east-southeasterly or southeasterly.

The 24-hour PSI for Singapore on Friday is forecast to be in the unhealthy to low very unhealthy range.

Over the weekend, more showers are forecast over Singapore and parts of Kalimantan, NEA said.

"Winds are expected to shift to blow from the southeast or south, which could reduce the transport of smoke haze from Kalimantan to Singapore," it added.

"Some smoke haze from Sumatra may however still drift towards Singapore."

On Wednesday, 1-hour PM2.5 readings shot up across Singapore, with the reading in the west rising to a level not seen in Singapore since 2015. 

It stood in the very high band for most of the hours from 2pm to 8pm, peaking at 288.

During a severe haze episode in October 2015, Singapore recorded an hourly PM2.5 reading of 471 in the western region at 11pm on Oct 19. 

It is the highest reading in the publicly available log of hourly PM2.5 readings published by the National Environment Agency (NEA), which dates back to April 2014.

SOME ACTIVESG FACILITIES CLOSED

Outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at ActiveSG sports centres in three regions were shut on Thursday as part of precautionary measures.

In a Facebook post late on Wednesday, ActiveSG Circle said Sport Singapore had decided to keep such facilities in the west closed based on the 24-hour PSI readings.

The affected facilities are at its Bukit Batok, Bukit Gombak, Clementi, Choa Chu Kang, Hockey Village @ Boon Lay, Jurong East, Jurong Lake Gardens, Jurong West, Senja Cashew and Sport Village @ Jurong Town branches.

In an update on Facebook on Thursday morning, ActiveSG Circle said outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at sports centres in the south and central regions would also be closed.

The affected facilities were at its ActiveSG Sport Park @ Teck Ghee, Burghley Tennis and Squash Centre, Bishan, Delta, MOE Evans and Queenstown branches.

In a 7pm update on its website, ActiveSG announced further temporary closures to outdoor and non-air-conditioned facilities at sport centres in the east.

ActiveSG sport centres in the north region remain open. 

"As haze conditions can change, visitors are advised to check for the latest updates before heading down, monitor air quality conditions and adjust their activities accordingly," it said in its Facebook post.

"We will continue to monitor the haze situation closely and adjust our operations as necessary," ActiveSG Circle added.

MASK DISTRIBUTION BROUGHT FORWARD

The government on Wednesday brought forward the phased distribution of masks to vulnerable Singaporeans after the PM2.5 reading in the west reached the very high band.

The Haze Task Force had said last Friday that N95 masks would be distributed to more vulnerable individuals when the 24-hour PSI exceeded 200 and entered the very unhealthy range.

However, the mask distribution exercise was launched early because the government had forecast that hourly PM2.5 readings were "likely to continue spiking", pushing up 24-hour PSI levels as well, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Wednesday.

Haze shelters at community clubs and selected Residents' Committee and Residents' Network centres have also been set up. 

N95 mask distribution will commence in phases at community clubs and haze mask vending machines at selected public transport hubs, social service offices and People's Association venues, NEA said in its advisory.

The masks will be made available progressively at designated collection points and may not be immediately available at all locations, the agency added. 

"The vending machines are being progressively deployed across the island from this evening and stocks will be replenished progressively and regularly," it said.

Members of the public can visit the HazeMaskGoWhere website for more information on collection locations and live updates on mask availability at the vending machines. 

"Members of the public are encouraged to check the website for availability before heading to a collection point," NEA said.

Checks by CNA at about 2.50pm on Thursday found that vending machines at 27 of the 37 planned locations were marked as "not available" on the website. Vending machines at three locations were also out of stock.

NEA also noted that N95 masks may be unavailable at some retail outlets due to a spike in demand, but said that "there are sufficient stocks of N95 masks in retailers' warehouses and government stockpiles".

"The Haze Task Force is working closely with retailers to replenish stocks and ensure the availability of N95 masks to the public," the agency added.