\n<\/p>\n
SINGAPORE: Singapore does not need additional PM2.5 forecasts as too many indicators may confuse the public, Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu said on Tuesday (Nov 3).<\/span><\/p>\n She was responding to questions from Members of Parliament on air quality readings, N95 masks and other haze issues. The questions followed more than a week of unhealthy air quality in Singapore, sending residents scrambling for masks and air purifiers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Ms Fu said the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) and hourly readings of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) have worked well in guiding decisions.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cWe don\u2019t think there is a need to include 12-hour, 24-hour or 48-hour PM2.5 forecasts as having too many indicators may complicate our public messages,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n MP Fadli Fawzi (WP-Aljunied) had asked why the National Environment Agency (NEA) cannot provide such forecasts, which are similar to those issued by the US National Weather Service.<\/span><\/p>\n Ms Fu said the daily PSI forecast helps the public plan activities for the next day, while hourly PM2.5 readings can guide immediate outdoor activities. NEA draws region-specific hourly readings from its 23 air quality monitoring stations across the country.<\/span><\/p>\n In response to Mr Fadli’s supplementary questions on whether the government can provide PM2.5 forecasts or qualitative trend indicators, Ms Fu said the current system is the right one.<\/span><\/p>\n She said the NEA does give qualitative explanations and releases fortnightly weather outlooks.<\/span><\/p>\n “But as with all forecasts, the longer the horizon, the less accurate it becomes,” she said, reiterating that the hourly PM2.5 is the most accurate for planning immediate activities.<\/span><\/p>\n Ms Fu said there has already been some confusion on the ground even with two indicators.<\/span><\/p>\n “The more that our forecast and advisory are clean, succinct, giving people an easy handle to manage activities, the more effective the advisories would be,” she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Close to 30 per cent of eligible Singaporeans had collected their masks as of Oct 29, Ms Fu said.<\/span><\/p>\nMASK DISTRIBUTION<\/span><\/h2>\n