Key Takeaways
- • Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) will issue preventive measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) to seven Indonesian companies, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Friday, Oct. 16.
- • The seven companies are PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau, PT Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, PT Sumatera Alam Anugerah, PT SBA Wood Industries, PT Hutan Lestari Raya and PT Bangkanesia, all located in Sumatra and identified for the haze episode on Oct. 8 and 9.
- • Three of the seven firms (PT Bumi Andalas Permai, PT Bumi Mekar Hijau and PT SBA Wood Industries) received similar notices in 2015.
- • The notices require recipients to deploy firefighting personnel, stop burning on their land, and submit action plans to NEA; the THPA permits fines of up to S$100,000 per day of haze, with a total cap of S$2 million per entity.
- • Fu said haze may persist for some time, with possible respite in three to four weeks as the inter-monsoon period begins around the end of October.
Summary
The National Environment Agency (NEA) will send preventive measure notices under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) to seven companies in Indonesia, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Friday, Oct. 16, at a press conference attended by Minister for Education Desmond Lee and Acting Minister for Manpower Jasmin Lau. The move follows investigations suggesting that part of the haze experienced in Singapore originated from fires on the lands of these companies. Fu said the names of the seven companies will be made public.
According to Fu, the seven companies are located in Sumatra and were identified for the haze episode on Oct. 8 and 9. The investigations relied on concession maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery, some of which are open-sourced. Fu said information on the companies' owners, links and relationships cannot be disclosed at this time, as it still needs to be investigated. She said lessons from the 2015 case had informed how evidence is gathered and how more can be learned about those responsible. NEA previously said investigations into four companies suspected of involvement in the 2015 haze are still ongoing.
The notices will direct the companies to deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of fires on land they own or occupy, discontinue or not commence burning activities on such land, and submit action plans to NEA for extinguishing fires and preventing recurrence. Fu said NEA will issue notices to more companies and consider other measures under the THPA if there are indications that additional firms caused fires resulting in transboundary haze, and that the government will monitor the companies' responses.
The THPA, enacted in 2014, allows Singapore to fine an entity found guilty of causing haze up to S$100,000 for every day or part of a day of haze pollution in Singapore. If an entity fails to comply with a preventive measures notice, an additional fine of up to S$50,000 per day of non-compliance may be imposed. The total cap for fines on an entity under the THPA is S$2 million.
Fu said Singapore should prepare for the haze episode to persist for some time, though some respite may come in three to four weeks as the inter-monsoon period begins around the end of October.
According to Fu, the seven companies are located in Sumatra and were identified for the haze episode on Oct. 8 and 9. The investigations relied on concession maps, meteorological data and satellite imagery, some of which are open-sourced. Fu said information on the companies' owners, links and relationships cannot be disclosed at this time, as it still needs to be investigated. She said lessons from the 2015 case had informed how evidence is gathered and how more can be learned about those responsible. NEA previously said investigations into four companies suspected of involvement in the 2015 haze are still ongoing.
The notices will direct the companies to deploy firefighting personnel to extinguish or prevent the spread of fires on land they own or occupy, discontinue or not commence burning activities on such land, and submit action plans to NEA for extinguishing fires and preventing recurrence. Fu said NEA will issue notices to more companies and consider other measures under the THPA if there are indications that additional firms caused fires resulting in transboundary haze, and that the government will monitor the companies' responses.
The THPA, enacted in 2014, allows Singapore to fine an entity found guilty of causing haze up to S$100,000 for every day or part of a day of haze pollution in Singapore. If an entity fails to comply with a preventive measures notice, an additional fine of up to S$50,000 per day of non-compliance may be imposed. The total cap for fines on an entity under the THPA is S$2 million.
Fu said Singapore should prepare for the haze episode to persist for some time, though some respite may come in three to four weeks as the inter-monsoon period begins around the end of October.
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