Number of Complaints Received from Woodlands Residents on Foul Odour in Air in Past One Month and Investigation Carried Out

17 Ms Hany Soh asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) how many complaints has NEA received in the past one month regarding foul odour in the air, especially those residing in Woodlands town; and (b) how does NEA carry out the necessary investigation in order to trace the cause of such odour.

Ms Grace Fu Hai Yien: From 1 August to 24 September 2021, the National Environment Agency (NEA) received about 140 complaints regarding foul odour from residents in Woodlands town.

When a complaint on foul odour is received, NEA will carry out ground inspections and check the premises in the vicinity for possible causes, including pollution incidents. These premises include factories, construction sites and agricultural sites. If the odour can be traced to a particular site, NEA will engage the premises owner or occupier to implement the necessary mitigation measures. NEA will also monitor the situation to ensure that the mitigation measures are effective in addressing the odour issue.