Contents:Contents: Introduction

Causes of haze

Effects of haze

Trans-boundary

Actions taken by the NEA and the ASEAN

The Citizens’ roles in air pollution reduction

Bibliography

What is Haze?What is Haze?Haze is an accumulation of dust, smoke and other pollutant particles which reduces visibility and causes health threats.

Causes of hazeCauses of haze Burning of forests

to make way for agriculture

Drought period

The chopping down of trees for other uses

Other factors

It is the cheapest way for:

Large scale agriculturalActivities.

poor farmers to save costs.

However itProduces lots of haze…

The drought period:The drought period: Between July to early

October , peat swamps and grasslands dry up.

Makes plants and peat vulnerable to catching fire easily. (One of the stages to the formation of coal.)

More than 2,000,000 hectares of these areas combust annually.

This dry plants and peat usually burns uncontrollably and causes and causes lots of haze.lots of haze.

During the month of September, the pollution standard index (PSI) went over one hundred, past the unhealthy level. The haze was caused by winds, carrying the haze from Sumatra, on to Singapore and Malaysia. This is also known as trans-boundary.Newton

Marina Bay

Jurong East

This was how Kuala Lumpur looked like during the recent haze which struck, similar to the 1997 haze which hit Singapore. As the fires occurred further north of Sumatra, The trade winds carried the haze over Kuala Lumpur. Fortunately, Singapore was spared.

Kuala Lumpur City Centre

View from KL Twin Towers

Poor Visibility at the entrance to the City Centre

Trans-boundary:Trans-boundary: The trans-boundary

issue affects not only one, but neighbouring countries such as Singapore and Malaysia.

The haze travels with the wind and hits Singapore and Malaysia.

Kuala Lumpur City centre

Haze Map of Sumatra and neighbouring countries

How trans-boundary affects How trans-boundary affects the region…the region…

Hotspots and Haze over Sumatra, Malaysia and Singapore

A clearer picture on the wind A clearer picture on the wind

movementsmovements

Emission from vehicles

Smoke Smoke from factoriesfrom factories and power stations and power stations

Smoke fromSmoke fromcigarettes and cigarettes and burning of things burning of things

Other factors contributing to Other factors contributing to haze:haze:

TransportsTransports

Public transports, e.g, Public transports, e.g, buses and the MRTbuses and the MRT

Reduce the usage of Diesel for vehicles

Walk or cycle, if distance is short. it’s healthy too!

Emission from vehicles

Smoke Smoke from factoriesfrom factories and power stations and power stations

Smoke fromSmoke fromcigarettes and cigarettes and burning of things burning of things

Other factors contributing to Other factors contributing to haze:haze:

In homes:In homes: Do not leave any appliances Do not leave any appliances

un-attended.un-attended.

Educate the younger Educate the younger generations to save generations to save electricity.electricity.

Use granular pesticides, air Use granular pesticides, air fresheners, air humidifiersfresheners, air humidifiers

Use CFC-free air conditioners Use CFC-free air conditioners or use the fanor use the fan

plant potted plants in homesplant potted plants in homes

Emission from vehicles

Smoke Smoke from factoriesfrom factories

and power stationsand power stations

Smoke fromSmoke fromcigarettes and cigarettes and

burning of thingsburning of things

Other factors contributing to Other factors contributing to haze:haze:

Citizens’ role:Citizens’ role:

In the public In the public (or rather everywhere):(or rather everywhere):

Do not burn paper or other items Do not burn paper or other items unnecessarilyunnecessarily

Do not litter- especially throwing plastic Do not litter- especially throwing plastic objects as plasticobjects as plastic produces toxin when produces toxin when melted.melted.

DO NOT SMOKE (Advise friends and DO NOT SMOKE (Advise friends and relatives not to smoke)relatives not to smoke)

Effects on our Health:Effects on our Health:

Short-term effects:Short-term effects:

Causes irritation to eyes, Causes irritation to eyes, nose, throat and upper nose, throat and upper respiratory systemrespiratory system

HeadacheHeadache

NauseaNausea

Causes allergic reactionsCauses allergic reactions

Long-term effects:Long-term effects: Chronic respiratoryChronic respiratory

disease.disease. Lung cancer.Lung cancer. Heart disease.Heart disease. Brain, nerves, liver Brain, nerves, liver

or even kidney damage.or even kidney damage. Affects lungs of Affects lungs of

growing children.growing children. Worsen or complicateWorsen or complicate

medical conditions in medical conditions in the elderly.the elderly.

Actions taken by NEA:Actions taken by NEA: Minimising pollution at source Minimising pollution at source

by enforcing air emission limits and fuel quality by enforcing air emission limits and fuel quality on industries and motor vehicles.on industries and motor vehicles.

Stringent legislation and enforcement.Stringent legislation and enforcement.

Proper land use –Proper land use –planning and moving of industries away from planning and moving of industries away from population. population.

Promoting cleaner energy and energy efficiency Promoting cleaner energy and energy efficiency

Eco-tourismEco-tourism

High Tech farmingHigh Tech farming

The ASEAN, also known as the Association of South East Asian Nations, are already discussing on how to tackle the haze problem in Indonesia and its surrounding regions… This is an article taken from the ASEAN website dated 27Sep2005 by Mynardo Macariag on haze control“ASEAN Vows Swift Action on Choking Haze”

"We stand ready to assist each other by mobilising our resources to mitigate fires in the region during critical periods,"

“stepping up previous measures such as joint emergency response and guidelines for zero burning and controlled burning practices." All mentioned my ministers of ASEAN

Pictorial sources taken Pictorial sources taken from…from…

www.niherst.gov.tt www.fortunecity.es www.earthobservato

ry.nasa.gov www.vaellus.info www.csa.com www.sciam.com www.news.bbc.co.uk www.mrdata.com www.mahyudin.blog

spot.com

www.computingleeds.co.uk

www.pds.org www.medicalprogress

.org www.fire.uni-freiburg.

de www.pasc.ca www.zog.typepad.co

m www.malaysiadaily.bl

ogspot.com