Politics · Singapore Bureau
NEA serves legal notices to 10 Singapore firms over transboundary haze
The National Environment Agency has issued legal notices to 10 Singapore-based companies, including Asia Pulp & Paper, under provisions of the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. The action follows earlier requests for information from Indonesian firms linked to regional air quality issues.
LSN Singapore ·
Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) has escalated enforcement action by serving legal notices to 10 locally-based companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, signalling heightened regulatory scrutiny over regional air pollution. The notices represent a shift from information-gathering to formal legal action, with Asia Pulp & Paper among the recipients.
The move comes after Singapore previously sought information from 10 Indonesian firms, indicating a coordinated investigative approach to identify entities potentially responsible for transboundary haze affecting the city-state. The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act permits Singapore to hold companies accountable for activities outside its borders that contribute to regional air quality degradation.
Legal notices under the act require recipients to provide detailed information and documentation within specified timeframes. Non-compliance carries penalties, underscoring the agency's determination to establish corporate accountability chains linked to haze-causing activities in the region.
The enforcement action reflects Singapore's broader strategy to combat recurring haze episodes that have periodically blanketed the island and neighbouring countries. By targeting companies with Singapore operations or connections, authorities aim to leverage domestic legal mechanisms to influence corporate practices contributing to transboundary pollution.