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SINGAPORE – Seven companies have been issued legal notices requesting that they stop the burning on their land in Indonesia and submit plans to extinguish the fires.
Investigations so far show that some of the haze blanketing Singapore in recent weeks originated from fires on land owned by these seven companies in Indonesia, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Oct 16.
The National Environment Agency (NEA) has sent these companies preventive measure notices under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), which targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires.
Three of these firms, Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau and SBA Andalas Wood Industries, also received similar notices during the 2015 haze crisis. Those cases remain open.
The other four companies issued notices for the ongoing haze are: Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, Sumatera Alam Anugerah, Hutan Lestari Raya and Bangkanesia.
NEA has been tracking hot spots and smoke from fires in the region to identify the companies that contributed to the haze, and it is committed to investigating all other companies responsible for it, Fu said at a press conference at the National Press Centre.
“We will continue to monitor the situation and the companies’ responses to these notices. Where warranted, we will take further action under the THPA based on the information and evidence available,” she said.
The notices will inform the companies to do the following: deploy firefighters to extinguish or prevent the spread of any fire on land owned or occupied by them; discontinue or not start any burning activities; and submit to NEA their action plans to extinguish any fires on their lands and prevent their recurrence.
Fu said identifying the companies involves analysing satellite imagery and meteorological data and establishing the companies responsible requires information from various sources.
Not all of the information is within Singapore’s jurisdiction, she said, adding that the authorities have drawn from various sources including open-source imagery to identify the companies.
Noting that media reports have stated Indonesia is open to assistance, Fu said she communicated with her counterpart, Environment Minister Jumhur Hidayat, on Oct 16 to offer both civilian assistance to support firefighting efforts as well as other measures such as cloud seeding support.
“I have yet to hear from him, but we are prepared to provide assistance that Indonesia thinks is suitable and will continue to engage them on this,” she said.
Fu’s announcement on the issuing of legal notices comes a day after Prime Minister Lawrence Wong said on Oct 15 that Singapore is looking into companies that may be responsible for haze-causing fires.
He had said Singapore will take action where warranted under the THPA, and also explore joint action with other countries.
The THPA, enacted in 2014, can be triggered if the haze causes the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI), a measure of air quality here, to stay in the unhealthy range in any part of Singapore for 24 hours or more.
The Straits Times first reported on Oct 12 that Singapore has this year faced several haze episodes that meet the threshold for the law to be applied.
This is the Government’s first press conference since the current haze episode began, and comes amid the current stretch of 12 consecutive days of unhealthy air from Oct 5 – the longest continuous stretch of poor air quality since the 2015 haze crisis.
That year, Singapore experienced a 14-day stretch of bad air between Sept 23 and Oct 7, The Straits Times checks on historical 24-hour PSI readings on government data portal Singstat showed.
PSI levels of 101 and above are considered unhealthy.
The THPA was wielded for the first time then, when the PSI breached hazardous levels with readings of over 300. No fines have been meted out yet.
NEA had identified fires on plantations, or concession lands, associated with six Indonesian companies and issued legal notices to them.
Those were also preventive-measure notices that requested the companies to extinguish the fires, stop any burning activities and submit to NEA plans to extinguish the fires or prevent their recurrence.
On Oct 16, Fu said the seven companies issued notices are located in Sumatra in Indonesia.
They were identified in relation to air conditions in Singapore on Oct 8, she added in response to questions on their location and ownership.
On Oct 9, the 24-hour PSI – which averages out readings over the past day – fluctuated between a low of 100 and a peak of 192.
That day, Singapore’s haze task force also announced new measures including plans for the distribution of N95 masks if PSI levels breached 200.
Fu said the relationship between the seven companies, their owners, suppliers and other companies still has to be investigated.
“That’s part of the issues we talked about: how do we gather evidence and how do we go behind company names to find out more about people that are responsible. Those are all lessons that we have gained from 2015, so that we can be more effective.”
Responding to a question on whether the preventive measure notices have sufficient “teeth” and if Singapore can enforce and ensure compliance from firms, Fu said the Government is keeping its options open and is considering other actions like fines and charges.
She acknowledged that it is not easy to enforce the rules, but said the authorities must try.
Fu said: “We must try in order to protect Singapore, Singaporeans, try whatever lever that is within our control to bring the best outcome for Singapore, even if it may not be so effective. But we will try.”
She encouraged companies involved in the region to work with the authorities closely.
“More importantly, pay attention to the three things that we are going to be asking the companies to do, and do that. Do the right thing to protect your business, to protect your reputation.”
