SINGAPORE — With haze making a reappearance last week, the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) and the Consumers Association of Singapore (CASE) have renewed their call to consumers to boycott companies whose land-clearing practices contribute to forest fires.

In a media statement on Tuesday (Aug 30), both groups, expressing disappointment at the return of the haze, said it “represents the growing demand for both paper as well as palm oil products”.

“The boycott last year led to worldwide publicity regarding unsustainable agricultural practices in Indonesia. We believe that the publicity has motivated some of the companies to act more responsibly,” the SEC and CASE said.

They noted that the Indonesian authorities have put in measures to tackle the land and forest fires that are causing the haze. “Compared with the haze last year, these measures are paying off with some results,” they said, adding that businesses should also join the boycott.

Last weekend, a change in wind direction brought brought noxious haze from fires in Sumatra to Singapore, causing air quality to breach unhealthy levels for the first time this year. The situation has improved this week so far, with 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings remaining within the moderate range (51 to 100). As of 5pm on Tuesday, the 24-hour PSI reading was 44 to 56. 

In an advisory on Tuesday, the National Environment Agency said the PSI was expected to be in the moderate range on Wednesday. There were showers in parts of Sumatra on Tuesday and four hot spots were detected, with no visible haze, the agency said. 

The boycott spearheaded by SEC and CASE began last year when Singapore experienced its worst episode of prolonged haze since 2013, with the PSI entering hazardous territory. It led to supermarket chains dropping products from firms linked to fires causing the haze.

In the statement, CASE president Lim Biow Chuan said in the statement urged consumers not to wait for the haze to return before taking action. “We must work collectively as a group to continue to send a clear signal that such practices are unsustainable and would adversely affect our environment,” he said.

SEC chairman Isabella Loh said consumers should buy paper products bearing the Singapore Green Label certification.

“We must re-emphasise that these plantation owners must take full responsibility in educating their communities and suppliers about the hazards of haze,” she added.

Earlier this year, the SEC also said it was drawing up a new category under the Singapore Green Label certification scheme, which will look at companies’ management of plantations, with an emphasis on peatland management and fire prevention.