Singapore to adopt measures to achieve higher air quality targets

The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore will be implementing measures to achieve higher national air quality standards by 2020; the Advisory Committee on Ambient Air Quality has released recommendations which are being adopted by Singapore as its air quality targets for 2020. The Ministry of the Environment and Water Resources (MEWR) will follow the World Health Organization (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) for particulate matter 10 (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone, and the WHO AQG’s Interim Targets for PM2.5 and sulfur dioxide. These targets will enable Singapore to achieve a high standard of public health and economic competitiveness.
Singapore currently enjoys higher air quality than many Asian, U.S. and European cities; it has fared with the PSI in the “Good” range 96% of the time in 2011. Like many other major cities, air emissions from industries and motor vehicles are the two key sources of air pollution in Singapore. The government has put together a well-integrated urban and industrial plan and preventive air pollution control measures during the planning stage. In addition to legislation, strict enforcement programs and air quality monitoring have helped ensure that air quality remains good despite Singapore’s dense urban development and large industrial base. Trans-boundary smoke haze from the land and forest fires in the region is also a problem which affects Singapore’s air quality intermittently during the Southwest monsoon period from August to October. (August 23, 2012)