NEA issues notices to 10 Singapore-based companies, including Wilmar and APP, over haze

The National Environment Agency (NEA) has issued notices to ten Singapore-registered companies, including Wilmar International and Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), over the haze affecting Singapore. The notices, issued under Section 10 of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA), seek information on the companies' operations, potential links to haze-causing fires in Indonesia, and measures taken to prevent or combat fires during the dry season.

The firms either own land concessions in Indonesia or have affiliated companies with such concessions.

The NEA is requesting documents and information on the companies' connections to associated entities in Singapore and Indonesia, the locations of their land concessions, and fire prevention strategies implemented during the dry season. This action follows the government's efforts to identify and hold accountable companies contributing to the haze. The Ministry of Law has appointed Davinder Singh Chambers as an adviser to coordinate cross-border inquiries and investigations into potentially haze-linked companies.

Additionally, the NEA has issued preventive measures notices under Section 9 of the THPA to ten Indonesian companies over fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. These companies must deploy firefighting personnel, stop or refrain from burning activities, and submit plans to NEA regarding fire extinguishing or prevention. The agency remains committed to identifying and holding accountable local and foreign companies responsible for transboundary haze pollution in Singapore, examining corporate relationships and supply chains to determine if larger corporate groups are involved.