SINGAPORE: Singapore is looking to make changes to its air quality standards in an effort to have cleaner air by the end of the decade, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Thursday. The move from the agency in partnership with the ministry of environment and water resources comes on the heels of a report that rated Singapore air as being below quality levels. The ministry said in the statement that by 2020, they aim “to achieve the targets of the World Health Organisation (WHO) Air Quality Guidelines (AQG) for particulate matter 10 (PM10), nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and ozone, and the WHO AQG's interim targets for PM2.5 and sulphur dioxide.” The NEA and the ministry are aiming to reduce such emissions in order to reach air quality targets established by the World Health Organization. The NEA said that it is scheduled “to update air quality information three times a day instead of once” beginning on Friday. The Pollutant Standards Index measures five key pollutants namely PM10, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide. They will also report the condition of PM2.5 in the ambient air, which is less than 2.5 microns and may penetrate the lungs into the bloodstream, leading to respiratory and heart problems. An official from the NEA told Bikyamasr.com on Thursday afternoon that they hope the new measures “will help make Singapore a greener city and one that can hold up its end of the pollution situation and make in roads to a green environmental future.” From January 2014 onwards, new diesel vehicles will have to meet Euro V emission standards while new petrol vehicles are required to meet the Euro IV emission standards from April 2014, the NEA said. Oil refineries and power stations are required to use natural gas and lower sulphur fuels as well as improve their processes to reduce sulphur dioxide emissions. “Integrated urban, industrial planning and development control have enabled the government to put in place preventive air pollution control measures during the planning stage,” NEA said. “Legislation, strict enforcement programmes and air quality monitoring have helped to ensure that air quality remains good despite our dense urban development and large industrial base,” it added.
