Since the Indonesian President added pressure to control the fire in the Riau forests, coupled by regular rain in Singapore, air quality in Singapore has started to revert to good level, or moderate on bad days. While we hope the haze will permanently stay at bay, the National Environment Agency (NEA) is still encouraging the public to take extra precautions and to be prepared for the haze to return. According to SingHealth website, inhaling excessive haze particles can increase the risks of developing viral and bacterial infections, heart and lung diseases, cancer and even stroke. Associate Professor Loo Chian Min, Head and Senior Consultant of Respiratory & Critical Care Medicine at Singapore General Hospital commented that “even healthy people can suffer from irritation in the eyes, nose and throat, coughing and sneezing, if they spend time outdoors during a smoke haze.” For precaution measures, NEA has advised to minimise outdoor activities when PSI level goes high especially those who are more vulnerable to the haze such as the elderlies, young children, pregnant ladies and those who have chronic respiratory illnesses.

While spending more time indoors, below are some suggestions how you can protect your Home when the PSI is high. Keep all windows closed as long as possible, until the haze condition improves. Turning on the air-conditioner in your home not only help to blow in cool air into the house, the AC also helps to filter the air pollutants. Clean the air filter in the AC twice a week by taking it out to wash under running water. Get the professionals to thoroughly clean the AC when the hazy days are over. Use a good quality air ionizer or air purifier to eliminate pollutants in the air. Minimise drying your clothes in the open air as particles from the haze will settle onto your laundry. If you dry your clothes outside during hazy days, then you may find burnt smell lingering on your dried laundry. Vacuum floor at least twice a day using a vacuum cleaner that comes with good HEPA filter. Vacuum your fabric soft furnishings like mattress, rug/carpet and sofa daily.

These soft furnishings can trap air particles easily. Keep soft toys in closed compartments. Professionally clean your soft furnishings after the haze is over to thoroughly remove the air particles and bacteria. Although windows are mostly kept closed, air pollutants can still enter our home from thin gaps and settle into the fabric furnishings. You might even burnt smell lingering on your sofa or curtain if they are placed near the windows.ionic air purifier bad for health Tags: carpet maintenance, Soft Furnishingsclean air engineering palatine ilIndonesia is preparing warships and ferries in case it needs to evacuate children affected by haze caused by the country's forest fires.dyson air multiplier 10 review

Co-ordinating Security Minister Luhut Pandjaitan said an evacuation was one contingency among several others.South-East Asia has been particularly hit hard this year by the haze, an annual occurrence.It has caused serious health issues, particularly among those living in the epicentres Kalimantan and Sumatra.Mr Pandjaitan said authorities had identified at least six provinces where children and babies could be evacuated, local media say, but any evacuation would depend on approval from President Joko Widodo. Other options include moving residents to government offices equipped with air purifiers, Reuters news agency reports. What causes South East Asia's haze? Why are peat lands burning?Deadly cost of Indonesia's burning land The haze is caused by farmers clearing land for plantations for the palm oil, pulp and paper industries, primarily in the Indonesian province of Kalimantan on Borneo and the island of Sumatra.Residents in those areas have been living with hazardous levels of smoke in the past two months.

Indonesia has struggled to put out the fires, most of which are on peat land which burns for longer and produces more smoke than other fires.US-based environmental research organisation World Resource Institute said earlier this week that the daily carbon emissions caused by the fires were surpassing the average emissions by the United States.The haze has blanketed Singapore and Malaysia as well, straining diplomatic ties, and has recently drifted northwards to affect southern Thailand and the Philippines.So the haze is back and it looks like it could linger over Singapore till the end of the month. As we face yet another season of poor air quality, many of us seek refuge indoors – but you might be surprised to find out that your own home can be an unhealthy environment too. A team of scientists at NASA embarked on a 2 year study to developed a method for clearing indoor pollution – what was the result? To grow your own fresh air! Volatile Organic Compounds, or VOCs, are toxic chemicals that can be emitted from materials found anywhere in your home – from the paint on your wall, to the fibers on your couch and the glue in your floorboard.

They can be the cause of your headaches, dry eyes, fatigue and more, but the real concern is the compounding effect that these chemicals have on your health. A study by NASA found that air quality indoors was often unhealthy, teeming with toxic chemicals, but that certain plants had remarkable capabilities of purifying the air around them, by absorbing in the toxins and releasing clean oxygen! They found over 50 air-purifying plants, of them, 10 were especially good. These super-plants will clear your home of its toxins and leave only clean, breathable, healthy air!! Luckily for us, most of the plants identified are from the tropics, so easily available in Singapore! If you find yourself sensitive to the haze or suffering from allergies you can now make your home a safe haven! Hard science shows us how: surround yourself with nature! Here’s what you do: Take NASA’s top ten plants list to your local nursery to guide you. You can choose any you like, but, a further study by Kamal Meattle, researcher and activist for clean air in India, found that of the top 10, three of them worked most efficiently together, maximizing the purification: