Asia Pulp & Paper, tied to haze-linked suppliers, given temporary restrictions by SEC

Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), a firm implicated in the 2015 haze crisis, has been granted a Notice of Temporary Restrictions by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC). The haze is currently caused by fires from APP's suppliers' land, prompting the SEC to impose daily fire response reporting and intensive monitoring to ensure effective fire prevention and suppression across the suppliers' concessions. This notice came into effect on October 19.

The suppliers of wood fiber to APP operate in South Sumatra, Indonesia, and have received legal notices from the National Environment Agency (NEA) in relation to the recent haze episode. The SEC firmly asserts that the haze's adverse impact on public health in Singapore and the region, as well as environmental harm, is taken seriously.

NEA has issued legal notices to ten Indonesian companies, requesting them to cease burning on their land and submit plans to extinguish the fires. The notices were initially sent out on October 16 and 19. Four of these companies – Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau, SBA Wood Industries, and Buana Megatama Jaya – are identified as APP suppliers. All of these companies, except Buana Megatama Jaya, have faced similar notices during the 2015 haze crisis, and their cases remain unresolved.

The Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS+) administered by the SEC, launched in 2017, mandates certified pulp and paper companies to enhance their peatland management and pledge to detect and suppress fires early by investing in firefighting equipment and conducting a daily fire danger rating assessment. Companies must also commit to ensuring no burning occurs on their plantations.

Should APP fail to demonstrate effective implementation of the enhanced monitoring, fire prevention, and suppression measures, its SGLS+ certification may be suspended, thereby ceasing the use of the SGLS+ logo on its products.