Air quality reaches very unhealthy level on Thursday

SINGAPORE — Air quality crept into the very unhealthy range at noon today today (Oct 1), before falling back to the unhealthy range at 3pm. 

Yesterday, haze remained at unhealthy levels. This morning, the 24-hour PSI rose steadily, finally breaching the 200 mark at noon. At 1pm, the 24-hour PSI was 159-202 while the 3-hour PSI hit 182. The one-hour PM2.5 concentration was 122 to 154 microgrammes per cubic metre.

By 3pm though, the 24-hour PSI was back in the unhealthy range. As of 11pm, the 24-hour PSI dropped to 143-182, while the 3-hour PSI similarly dipped to 120.

In a situation update at 5pm today, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said that the 24-hr PSI for the next 24 hours is expected to be between the high end of the Unhealthy range and mid-section of the very unhealthy range, and may deteriorate to the high end of the very unhealthy range if denser haze is blown in.

Haze from Sumatra and Kalimantan is still spreading to large parts of the surrounding region, said the NEA.

The NEA has also issued a notice to another Indonesian company, directing it to take fire-fighting measures. The company PT Bumi Mekar Hijau is the fifth to receive a preventive measures notice from the NEA under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. Last Friday, NEA said it had served a similar notice to four Indonesian firms for haze-causing fires.

Meanwhile, the Orchard Road Business Association (ORBA) announced today that the Pedestrian Night, scheduled for this Saturday (Sept 3), has been cancelled due to the haze. Nevertheless, the in-mall Pedestrian Night promotions and shopping deals will still be on offer to all shoppers. 

"This is out of consideration for the health and safety of our staff, our visitors and all street performers," said a statement.

With the event cancelled, the Orchard Road stretch between Scotts/Paterson junction and Orchard Road/Bideford junction will be fully open to vehicular traffic. 

The ORBA advised all Orchard Road visitors to stay indoors as much as possible and take the necessary precautions.

The next Pedestrian Night will takes place on Nov 7.