Monitoring Recent Pollution in Pasir Gudang

1 Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources whether the Ministry is keeping a close monitoring on the development of the recent air pollution incident in Pasir Gudang and whether it will affect Singapore given the close proximity.

2 Mr Pritam Singh asked the Minister for the Environment and Water Resources in light of the Pasir Gudang chemical spill in March 2019 (a) how does the air and water quality in Sengkang, Punggol, Pasir Ris and Pulau Ubin compare with other parts of Singapore from 2008 to 2018, particularly during the northeast monsoon seasons; and (b) what contingency plans are there in the event of an environmental disaster in Johor affecting residents in the aforesaid areas.

The Minister for the Environment and Water Resources (Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M): Mr Speaker, may I take Question Nos 1 and 2 together, please?

Mr Speaker: Yes, please.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Thank you. NEA monitors and reports the air quality in Singapore through a network of five national air quality monitoring stations across the island. These stations are representative of the ambient air quality of the North, South, East, West and Central regions. Criteria pollutants, namely, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter, both PM2.5 and PM10, are continuously monitored and reported on an hourly basis as the Pollutant Standards Index or PSI. In addition, NEA monitors the coastal water quality continuously through buoy-based monitoring sensors deployed in eight locations around Singapore, including the Straits of Johor. This is supplemented by monthly collection samples from 48 sampling points around Singapore.

From 2008 to 2018, the air and water quality in the northeast region were comparable to the rest of Singapore, including during the northeast monsoon period.

The air and water quality in Singapore have not been affected by the recent pollution incidents in Pasir Gudang. The ambient levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs) in the northeast region were also well within safe limits. SCDF also deployed portable standoff chemical gas detectors in the northeast, and did not detect any toxic chemicals in the air.

NEA and SCDF are in contact with Malaysia’s Department of Environment (DOE) and Fire and Rescue Department (BOMBA) on this latest incident, and will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates if there are significant developments.

Our agencies have put in place precautionary measures to guard against any potential pollution impacts arising from chemical incidents, including those from transboundary sources. NEA’s existing air monitoring stations in the northeast region are able to measure the ambient concentration of a variety of VOCs including benzene, toluene and xylene in the parts per billion range. These capabilities and with the support of SCDF’s portable detectors should allow us to detect a transboundary plume and to alert our population accordingly.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye (Tanjong Pagar): I thank the Minister for his reply. According to media reports, the Johor Chief Minister Dr Sahruddin Jamal had announced yesterday that the state government is looking into relocating their high-risk chemical factories. I would like to ask if Singapore is actively engaging Malaysia on this, to ensure that any relocation does not inadvertently place us at an even higher risk of resultant air pollution.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Both NEA and SCDF are aware of the kinds of chemical industries existing today in Pasir Gudang. It is our existing arrangement to inform each other to ensure that if there are movements of major complexes, we inform each other. So, in this case, when they do and if they do relocate, we will be informed.

Mr Pritam Singh (Aljunied): Mr Speaker, just a few supplementary questions arising from remarks in the mainstream media in Malaysia and contradictory comments by a Minister in particular about the quality of mop-up work done after the Sungei Kim Kim episode and then, a retraction thereafter. My first question is pertaining to the answer to a Parliamentary Question (PQ) that Minister gave in April this year, with regard to the deployment of chemical gas detectors in the northeast area. Are there any plans that NEA has to make this deployment permanent in view of repeated environmental concerns that are raised in Johor, in particular, about incidents that happen, affecting school children and members of the public there.

The second question pertains to whether the Ministry is conducting any studies on low, constant exposure to VOCs, given the large number of residential homes in the Sengkang, Punggol and Pasir Ris region, in particular, and the northeast in general. Is the Ministry pursuing any studies in this regard?

Finally, we understand from local reports that there are 252 chemical factories in Pasir Gudang. Is the Ministry aware of how many of these are considered to be high risk by internationally accepted standards?

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: I thank the Minister for the supplementary questions. As I had mentioned, all the monitoring stations that I mentioned just now are permanent deployments. These are to detect the ambient levels of VOCs as well as the pollutants in our air. However, when there are complaints from residents of persistent odours or smell that inconvenience them or cause them alarm, SCDF would also then put in the monitoring instruments to ensure that these are either not existent or if they are detected, to take the appropriate measures to advise accordingly.

As for low, constant VOCs, there are very few studies available to advise how much of it should be of concern to us at the ambient level. In fact, all countries except one that we know of, do not even publish their VOCs in their websites. Usually, these are small. Actually, many of us are, in one form or another, already exposed to VOCs on a daily basis like from the glues and the things that we handle regularly. Therefore, when we publish, for example, the PSI, it is based on benchmarks that have been established from proper medical impact of such pollutants or chemicals by bodies like WHO and EPA from the US.

Can I ask the Member to repeat the last question?

Mr Pritam Singh: The last question was on the number of high-risk chemical factories at Pasir Gudang.

Mr Masagos Zulkifli B M M: Yes. There is a constant exchange, as mentioned just now, between SCDF and BOMBA of Malaysia, as well as between NEA and DOE of Malaysia, to exchange information as new factories come up and the kind of risks and protection that they have put in place, for each to respond to each other. BOMBA and SCDF carry out very regular joint exercises at our borders to work together and cooperate.