Singapore lifts most haze mitigation measures as air quality improves

Singapore will cease most of its haze-mitigation actions on Saturday, Nov 7, after a sustained improvement in air quality that followed the country’s longest stretch of unhealthy pollutant-standard-index (PSI) readings since 2015. The step includes ending daily health advisories, halting N95 mask distribution to vulnerable groups, closing designated shelters and ending subsidised treatment for haze-related conditions from Nov 12.

The haze, which returned in early September, saw the 24-hour PSI enter the unhealthy range on Sep 4 and remain above 100 for a total of 422 hours – more than 17 days – across the period to early November. While peak PSI and hourly PM2.5 levels did not exceed the 2015 extremes, the episode was notable for its persistence, prompting cancellations of outdoor events but avoiding school closures and food-delivery suspensions that occurred a decade earlier.

The National Environment Agency began issuing daily health advisories on Sep 4 and accelerated the distribution of free N95 masks when hourly PM2.5 levels spiked on Oct 14, lowering the age eligibility from 67 to 60. Public health clinics also provided subsidised treatment for haze-related ailments. Experts praised the communication strategy and the provision of protective equipment. > "In any health crisis, there are two competing goals that governments have to balance – the need to act and the need to calm people down so that they do not overreact and panic," said Emeritus Professor Ang Peng Hwa, Nanyang Technological University.

Regulatory actions intensified in mid-October. Singapore issued preventive-measure notices to ten Indonesian firms and, for the first time, notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to ten Singapore-registered companies to obtain information on land concessions and firefighting efforts. A specialist panel to investigate such firms was announced, and Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan travelled to Jakarta to launch a joint task force with his Indonesian counterpart. In November, parliament amended the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, increasing the maximum penalty tenfold and granting arrest powers to authorities.

Analysts noted that the government’s response accelerated as public frustration grew. Associate Professor of Law Eugene Tan said the “palpable public unhappiness” spurred the activation of the haze task force and stricter measures. While the new legal tools may deter some companies, experts warned that enforcement remains difficult because the fires originate outside Singapore’s jurisdiction. > "Whether this will work effectively depends very much on the probability of getting caught and convicted," said Euston Quah, NTU Albert Winsemius Chair Professor of Economics.

Experts stressed that regional cooperation and changes to land-management practices in Indonesia are essential for long-term mitigation. Suggestions included funding fire-free land-preparation equipment, developing forest-based enterprises and establishing a shared fund to support Indonesian farmers, measures that could reduce reliance on slash-and-burn techniques. Civil-society groups have also been urged to pressure companies linked to deforestation, reinforcing the broader accountability framework.