S’pore is experiencing its 12th consecutive day of unhealthy air, the longest since 2015 haze crisis
During similar episodes in 2019 and 2023, periods of unhealthy air only lasted a couple of days
Singapore has been grappling with unhealthy air quality for a record 12-day period since October 5th, surpassing the length of the 2015 haze crisis. The days are deemed unhealthy when the Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading surpasses 100. Historically, Singapore has experienced shorter periods of unhealthy air during the 2019 and 2023 haze episodes.
The PSI has five bands, with very unhealthy readings ranging from 201-300 and hazardous readings above 300. In 2026, the PSI reached hazardous levels for the first time since 2015. Community clubs began distributing N95 masks to eligible Singaporeans, including lower-income families, pregnant women, children, and asthma patients, to combat the worsening air conditions.
Environmental organizations have called for the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act to be used to investigate and prosecute companies responsible for causing the haze.
Written by urgent.news from The Business Times - Singapore's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
