Singapore's air is much better than Hong Kong's or Shanghai's. I grew up in the great white north, surrounded by nature, and on a day to day basis, Singapore's air is fine.<p>But this annual haze, largely caused by burning in Sumatra to create more farm land, is brutal. It's slightly worse than the worst I've seen in Hong Kong (Summer 2012) and it feels like it's lasting longer than the really bad spikes you get in HK.<p>Overall, I'll take 1-2 weeks of hazardous air, versus the more constant unhealthy air of Hong Kong or Shanghai.<p>Sadly, both HK and Singapore are quick to blame others. SG blames Indonesia, HK blames factories in Southern China. Even if both claims are true with respect to total pollution, both regions could be doing much more to reduce pollution.<p>P.S. - If anyone at Amazon or 3M is reading this...there's a need for N95 masks. The people most at risk are also the people less able to spend $3 a day on a mask - homeless, elderly, construction, cleaners.
The atlantic has pictures: <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/06/singapore-haze/100538/" rel="nofollow">http://www.theatlantic.com/infocus/2013/06/singapore-haze/10...</a>
If any one is interested the hourly PSI is published here :<p><a href="http://www.nea.gov.sg/psi/" rel="nofollow">http://www.nea.gov.sg/psi/</a>
This is a potentially dangerous situation; a lot of people just do not realize the gravity of it.<p>Singapore is an island with only two links out of the country to neighboring Malaysia. It is also one of the most densely populated countries in the world.<p>If the situation were to take a turn for the worse, the warning might come too little, too late.
The sad part is, 400 is not uncommon in Beijing (particularly in the winter) and nobody besides expats seem to complain.<p>Those masks in the picture are useless, though. You need to use the 3M 8511 or 9211 or similar. (And in addition to making the air breathable, they also help with allergies).
The article states: <i>Singaporeans are also baffled as to why Indonesia has not yet ratified a regional agreement on trans-boundary haze pollution. Mr Laksono could provide no clear answer.</i><p>I think Singaporeans are smarter than that. Unless this agreement comes with huge payments to Indonesia to help them change agricultural practises what incentive do they have to sign it? They are the biggest polluter and my understanding is that the agreement mostly comes with "help" for Indonesia in areas of each other signatory's choosing - also known as "nothing."
A Wikipedia article on the event: <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Southeast_Asian_haze" rel="nofollow">http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2013_Southeast_Asian_haze</a>
I'm currently in Singapore and to be honest I can actually smell the wood in the air.
I've went to two pharmacies and couldn't find a mask as they're all sold out.
I think the even bigger problem is how Indonesian authority is handling this. Looking around the national publication, this haze problem is barely covered. A lot of the "netizens" hanging around forums are acting like a spoiled child saying how the Indonesian forests provides tonnes of oxygen every year and people shouldn't be overreacting. Heck, even the ministry is acting childish by refusing aid from Singapore to put out the fire.
The real problem is not in Singapore, but in Indonesia, and with the companies that are responsible for starting the fires.<p><a href="http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/06/20/ri-dodges-haze-blame-game.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2013/06/20/ri-dodges-haze...</a>
I'm in Singapore but I've been in Hospital since Monday morning (unrelated to the haze) so I missed out, but nurses here say A&E has been filled with people they had to bring more staff in, the hospital is out of masks too!
I wonder if the losses Singapore's tourism and medical costs are enough to buy all the Sumatran farms, or at least to require other forms of clearing land.