PSI readings cross unhealthy threshold across Singapore
As of 8 Oct, Singapore’s air quality has entered the unhealthy range across all five regions.
The 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) readings as published by the National Environment Agency (NEA) are as follows:
112 in the north, 114 in the south, 123 in the east, 160 in the west and 143 in the central region.
Source: haze.gov.sg
This haze episode is the latest since October 2023 that Singapore’s 24-hour PSI has reached the unhealthy range.
In light of the current situation, MS News compares the 2026 haze with that of previous years.
From the 1997 haze crisis to the record-breaking episodes of 2013 and 2015, these are some of the highest air-pollution readings recorded in Singapore.
1. 226: 18 Sept 1997
Source: Facebook
For many Singaporeans, the first significant haze crisis was back in 1997.
The episode was driven by widespread fires in Indonesia, with dry weather and an El Niño phenomenon creating conditions that allowed fires to spread.
The three-hour PSI index was first introduced during the 1997 haze episode. This was to provide more real-time information on changing air quality.
On 18 Sept, the three-hour PSI reached 226 at 10pm. This set a national record that would stand for almost 16 years.
This prompted the Government to respond swiftly. Following the episode, the then Environment Ministry drafted a haze action plan to close schools and sports complexes if the PSI exceeded 300.
For the next decade and a half, the 226 reading remained the benchmark for Singapore’s worst haze.
That changed dramatically in 2013.
2. 371: 20 June 2013
CDC on Pexels. For illustrative purposes only.
The next decade and a half saw haze become a chronic issue for Singapore. However, the situation in 2013 was beyond even most locals’ expectations.
The three-hour PSI reading would hit a record of 371 on 20 June at 1 pm, smashing the record set in 1997.
As reported by The Guardian, unprecedented levels of air pollution prompted Singapore’s then-Environment Minister Vivian Balakrishnan to issue a stern statement on his Facebook page.
He wrote: “No country or corporation has the right to pollute the air at the expense of Singaporeans’ health and wellbeing.”
3. 401: 21 June 2013
Singaporeans did have to wait long for the 371 record to be broken.
The following day, the three-hour PSI climbed even higher, reaching 401 around noon.
This put the three-hour PSI past the hazardous mark for the first time.
Panic among Singaporeans led to long queues forming at pharmacies and shops selling N95 masks, the Straits Times reported.
However, the Government did not issue stop-work orders or close schools nationwide as the 24-hour PSI did not reach hazardous levels.
The 401 reading remains the highest three-hour PSI reading recorded in Singapore.
4. 471: 20 Oct 2015
The PSI record was last broken in 2015, with the three-hour PSI peaking at 471 at 11 pm on 20 Oct.
The episode was also notable because the Government took more extensive measures than it had during the 2013 haze.
Earlier in the month, the Ministry of Education announced that all primary and secondary schools would close on 25 Sept as a precaution.
Additionally, many businesses would also suspend their outdoor operations.
Final comparison
Looking back on these previous haze crises, the current haze situation remains relatively mild by comparison.
The 24-hour PSI so far peaked at 167 in central Singapore, recorded on 29 Sept.
It should also be noted that the records listed in this article are all based on three-hour PSI readings, which NEA has discontinued since 2016.
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Featured image adapted from Wikimedia Commons. For illustration purposes only.
