Haze In SOuth East asia
What exactly is the haze?
Haze is a term used to describe the poor quality of air, involving smoky fog and polluted skies. It is not uncommon in South East Asia, but 2019 brings some of the worst haze levels in years.
Where is it happening?
The haze is mainly covering South East Asia,including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & Indonesia.
What causes it?
Haze is caused by the slash and burn method mainly practised in Indonesia. This method involves striking down trees and burning them to clear land for other ‘more important’ purposes. Beginning January, more than 320,000 hectares of forest and plantation land have been on fire in several provinces of Indonesia (as per a report from The Straits Times). Reasons for this include clearing land for farming and palm oil plantations. The hot and dry weather helps to spread the fire easily and make it difficult to control. The ash and smoke from this is carried by winds from Indonesia to other countries.
How are haze levels measured?
The air quality is generally measured by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI). The number of the reading decides on the danger level. According to the National Environment Agency of Singapore, 0 - 50 is good, 51 - 100 is moderate, 101 - 200 is unhealthy, 201 - 300 is very unhealthy, & above 300 is considered hazardous.
How are people affected?
Everyone from the elderly to the young are affected. This is mainly because of the poor air quality, which can cause lung congestion and bad cough. In some countries PSI levels have been so bad, that it has been considered dangerous to go outside. In 2015, haze levels reached a shocking number of 341 in Singapore, causing schools to shut down for the safety of children. This year the PSI levels crossed the 100 mark in Singapore for the first time in 3 years and reached a high of 2000 in Indonesia, causing the deaths of many people.
Who else is affected?
The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has said that the haze has affected hundreds of orangutans in its care. As many as 37 young orangutans are suspected to have contracted a mild respiratory infection
What’s next?
Why do we burn the forests? And why is it that this continues to happen on an annual basis, causing some citizens to fear the oncoming haze? The Indonesia government says they are taking actions to curb the haze and punish those who raze the forest fires. Singapore too has been trying to impose fines on companies who own palm oil plantations and are found to be culprits in burning down the forests- but clearly this is not enough. We need a more collective action by people and groups across SouthEast Asia - people, companies and governments need to come together with a common purpose and mission - TO STOP THE FIRES. So let's all unite, and together we can stop the haze.
Haze is a term used to describe the poor quality of air, involving smoky fog and polluted skies. It is not uncommon in South East Asia, but 2019 brings some of the worst haze levels in years.
Where is it happening?
The haze is mainly covering South East Asia,including Singapore, Malaysia, Philippines & Indonesia.
What causes it?
Haze is caused by the slash and burn method mainly practised in Indonesia. This method involves striking down trees and burning them to clear land for other ‘more important’ purposes. Beginning January, more than 320,000 hectares of forest and plantation land have been on fire in several provinces of Indonesia (as per a report from The Straits Times). Reasons for this include clearing land for farming and palm oil plantations. The hot and dry weather helps to spread the fire easily and make it difficult to control. The ash and smoke from this is carried by winds from Indonesia to other countries.
How are haze levels measured?
The air quality is generally measured by the Pollutants Standards Index (PSI). The number of the reading decides on the danger level. According to the National Environment Agency of Singapore, 0 - 50 is good, 51 - 100 is moderate, 101 - 200 is unhealthy, 201 - 300 is very unhealthy, & above 300 is considered hazardous.
How are people affected?
Everyone from the elderly to the young are affected. This is mainly because of the poor air quality, which can cause lung congestion and bad cough. In some countries PSI levels have been so bad, that it has been considered dangerous to go outside. In 2015, haze levels reached a shocking number of 341 in Singapore, causing schools to shut down for the safety of children. This year the PSI levels crossed the 100 mark in Singapore for the first time in 3 years and reached a high of 2000 in Indonesia, causing the deaths of many people.
Who else is affected?
The Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation has said that the haze has affected hundreds of orangutans in its care. As many as 37 young orangutans are suspected to have contracted a mild respiratory infection
What’s next?
Why do we burn the forests? And why is it that this continues to happen on an annual basis, causing some citizens to fear the oncoming haze? The Indonesia government says they are taking actions to curb the haze and punish those who raze the forest fires. Singapore too has been trying to impose fines on companies who own palm oil plantations and are found to be culprits in burning down the forests- but clearly this is not enough. We need a more collective action by people and groups across SouthEast Asia - people, companies and governments need to come together with a common purpose and mission - TO STOP THE FIRES. So let's all unite, and together we can stop the haze.