Haze pushes Singapore air quality into unhealthy range for several days
Smoke haze from fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan pushed Singapore's 24-hour PSI into the unhealthy range from 3 October, with readings recurring through 7 October. Bloomberg reported that Singapore briefly had the world's worst air, days before the Formula One weekend.
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The story, neutrally told
Centre · 1Air quality in central Singapore entered the unhealthy range on Saturday 3 October, when the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reached 102 at 11am, while the other four regions stayed moderate. CNAN “At 11am, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) in the central region rose to 102.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1The National Environment Agency (NEA) had warned the previous evening that smoke haze could be carried towards Singapore, citing smoke plumes from southern Sumatra and haze from fires in Kalimantan. CNAN “Moderate to dense smoke plumes from southern Sumatra had been observed drifting towards Singapore, while smoke haze was also observed from fires in Kalimantan, NEA said.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1Air quality returned to moderate across Singapore later on 3 October, but NEA said a risk of haze remained, with the 24-hour PSI forecast in the high-moderate to low-unhealthy range. CNAN “There remains a risk of smoke haze affecting Singapore, with the 24-hour PSI forecast to be in the high-moderate to low-unhealthy range” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1The PSI re-entered the unhealthy range in the central region at 9pm on Sunday 4 October. CNAN “The 24-hour PSI re-entered the unhealthy range in the central region at 9pm on Sunday.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1At noon on Monday 5 October, the PSI was 117 in the central region and 108 in the west, and CNA reported that all regions recorded unhealthy readings that day. CNAN “At noon, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading was 117 in the central region and 108 in the west.” Read at CNA ↗ CNAN “after all regions recorded unhealthy readings on Monday” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1At 6am on Tuesday 6 October, four of five regions were unhealthy: 130 in the central region, 117 in the west, 112 in the east and 107 in the north, while the south improved to 95. CNAN “As of 6am, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings were 130 in central Singapore, 117 in the west, 112 in the east and 107 in the north.” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1At 7am on Wednesday 7 October, PSI readings were 130 in the central region, 118 in the east and 117 in the west, with the north (99) and south (97) moderate; 1-hour PM2.5 readings in the three unhealthy regions were elevated at 68, 61 and 85 respectively. CNAN “At 7am, the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) reading was 130 in central Singapore, 118 in the east and 117 in the west.”“Meanwhile, northern and southern Singapore recorded PSI readings of 99 and 97, remaining in the moderate band.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1NEA said dry weather was forecast to persist over Kalimantan and southern and central Sumatra, with prevailing winds meaning haze was likely to keep drifting to Singapore, and forecast the 24-hour PSI in the high moderate to mid unhealthy range. CNAN “smoke haze is likely to continue drifting to Singapore.”“The 24-hour PSI in Singapore is forecast to be in the high moderate to mid unhealthy range, NEA said.” Read at CNA ↗ Centre · 1NEA advises healthy people to reduce prolonged or strenuous outdoor exertion when the 24-hour PSI is unhealthy; the elderly, pregnant women and children should minimise it, and people with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid it. CNAN “Elderly people, pregnant women and children should minimise prolonged or strenuous outdoor physical exertion, while people with chronic lung or heart disease should avoid such activity.” Read at CNA ↗
Centre · 1Bloomberg, carried by the South China Morning Post, reported that on Wednesday afternoon IQAir data put Singapore's air in the 'very unhealthy' range and highest in the world, ahead of Kuala Lumpur, a classification that differs from NEA's 'unhealthy' bands. South China Morning PostN “Air quality levels in Singapore were in the “very unhealthy” range as of Wednesday afternoon, according to data from IQAir.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1Bloomberg also reported that about 200 schools, kindergartens and nurseries in Batu Pahat district in Johor, Malaysia were ordered closed on Wednesday because of haze. South China Morning PostN “some 200 schools, kindergartens and nurseries in the district of Bahu Pahat were ordered to close on Wednesday due to the haze conditions” Read at South China Morning Post ↗ Centre · 1Bloomberg attributed the haze to one of Indonesia's worst wildfire seasons in years, driven by slash-and-burn farming and worsened by an intensifying El Nino, with last month's hotspot count the highest since 2015; Greenpeace identified more than 20 palm, pulp and sugar companies whose concessions contained smoke sources. South China Morning PostN “The number of hotspots last month was the highest since 2015, when a regional haze emergency caused widespread disruptions and diplomatic tensions”“Greenpeace has identified more than 20 palm, pulp and sugar companies” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Centre · 1The organiser of Singapore's Formula One race said it would work with agencies to assess the situation if haze affected visibility, public health or operations, while an F1 spokesperson said conditions were not at any level of concern. South China Morning PostN “An F1 spokesperson said conditions were not at any level of concern.” Read at South China Morning Post ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- CNA ran a series of near-routine updates built around NEA's PSI and PM2.5 readings and advisories; SCMP carried a Bloomberg piece with a wider regional angle on the haze's causes and impact.
- Emphasis
- Region-by-region readings, NEA forecasts and health advice (CNA); global ranking, Malaysian school closures, Indonesian wildfires, Greenpeace and the F1 weekend (Bloomberg/SCMP).
- Leaves out or plays down
- CNA's pieces do not cover the causes beyond NEA's hotspot reports, school closures or the F1 race. The Bloomberg piece gives no region-by-region PSI figures.
- Charged language
- “choking smog”“worst in world”
- For example
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“Air quality in central Singapore crossed into the unhealthy range on Saturday (Oct 3) morning” — CNA
“Swathes of Southeast Asia have been clouded in choking smog in recent weeks” — South China Morning Post
Right0 outlets
No right outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
What every side reports
- Singapore's 24-hour PSI entered the unhealthy range (101-200) in the central region on 3 October and recurred through 7 October.
- NEA attributes the haze to smoke from fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan carried by prevailing winds.
- Dry conditions were forecast to persist, keeping the risk of haze elevated.
Where accounts differ
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How severe Singapore's air was on 7 October
- Centre
- CNA, quoting NEA, reported PSI readings of 117-130 in the unhealthy range in three regions at 7am. Bloomberg via SCMP cited IQAir data placing Singapore in the 'very unhealthy' range and worst in the world, while noting NEA data put all five regions at unhealthy levels.
National Environment Agency organisation
NEA reports hotspots and smoke plumes from Sumatra and Kalimantan, forecasts continued haze, and advises the public to use 1-hour PM2.5 readings for immediate activities and the 24-hour PSI forecast for planning.
“When planning outdoor activities for the next 24 hours, the public is advised to use the 24-hour PSI forecast and health advisories.” — CNA
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre7 articles
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CNAN ·
Air quality hits unhealthy range in central Singapore; 1-hour PM2.5 elevated in 3 regions
Neutral Factual update on the first unhealthy reading, with NEA advisories and explainers on PSI bands.
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CNAN ·
Air quality in unhealthy range across most of Singapore
Neutral Factual update on 6 October readings across regions.
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CNAN ·
Air quality in parts of Singapore in unhealthy range
Neutral Factual update on 7 October readings and NEA forecast.
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South China Morning PostN · · via Bloomberg
Singapore’s air pollution worst in world as haze shuts Malaysia schools
Alarmist Bloomberg copy via SCMP leads with Singapore having the world's worst air and ties the haze to wildfires, school closures and the F1 weekend.
Right0 articles
No coverage yet.
- 3 Oct 04:41 First CNAN Air quality hits unhealthy range in central Singapore; 1-hour PM2.5 elevated in 3 regions
- 3 Oct 16:16 +11h 35m CNAN Air quality back to moderate across Singapore after central region hits unhealthy range
- 4 Oct 14:35 +33h 55m CNAN Air quality back in unhealthy range in central Singapore
- 5 Oct 05:49 +49h 8m CNAN Air quality hits unhealthy range in central, western Singapore
- 5 Oct 23:59 +67h 18m CNAN Air quality in unhealthy range across most of Singapore
- 7 Oct 00:17 +91h 37m CNAN Air quality in parts of Singapore in unhealthy range
- 7 Oct 16:00 +107h 19m South China Morning PostN Singapore’s air pollution worst in world as haze shuts Malaysia schools via Bloomberg
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.