As haze season approaches, businesses prepare for surge in demand of masks, air purifiers
With the double whammy of an expected El Nino and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole, this year’s dry season could be more intense and prolonged compared to recent years, lasting until October.
SINGAPORE: Singapore’s COVID-19 pandemic rules may have eased, but it could soon be time to mask up once again, as the upcoming haze season approaches.
Businesses here are preparing for a rise in demand for masks and air purifiers, after authorities advised the public to protect themselves against dust and smoke particles as the region enters the dry season.
Mask suppliers are ramping up manufacturing orders by 30 per cent to meet the surge in demand for N95 masks, while more families are also seeking ways to improve air quality at home.
HIGHER HAZE RISK
Asia has been hit with heatwaves and record breaking temperatures since April, and Singapore is no exception.
After heatwaves struck large parts of the continent in April, temperatures spiked again late last month, which is normally the start of the cooler monsoon season.
The situation is expected to worsen as scientists expect El Nino conditions to return this year, bringing with it lower rainfall and warmer temperatures, which increase risks of vegetation fires that could lead to a higher chance of haze.
As locals prepare for hazy conditions, medical supplies company Pharmex Healthcare told CNA it has sold three times more N95 masks over the past few weeks.
Mr Victor Yeap, managing director of Pharmex Healthcare, said the firm has seen an uptick in enquiries and sales for items such as N95 masks and surgical masks.
“We have activated our manufacturing site to ship in the masks more quickly. At the same time, we have also ensured that our retail outlets dedicate more space to stocking up masks on the retail front, making sure that they are clearly visible and widely available,” he said.
CLEANER AIR AT HOME
While wearing masks can help people who are outdoors, families are also hoping to ensure cleaner air indoors at home too.
Household electronics firm Dyson, which sells a wide range of air purifiers, said that during the transboundary haze events of 2019, it found that 25 per cent more customers were connecting their machines to its app.
Dyson’s senior engineering manager Eddy Teo told CNA the trend suggests that during the haze period, people not only use their air purifiers more often, but also want to find out more information about the quality of air in their homes.
“In terms of air pollution levels in Singapore homes, particularly for PM2.5, we see that the levels during the peak period in Singaporean homes, averaged about three times higher than the average WHO (World Health Organization) guidelines,” said Mr Teo.
PROLONGED DRY SEASON
With the double whammy of an expected El Nino and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), this year’s dry season could be more "intense and prolonged" compared to recent years, lasting until October, according to the Meteorological Service Singapore (Met Service).
The period between June and September is the usual dry season for Singapore and the surrounding region.
A positive IOD causes sea surface temperatures in the eastern Indian Ocean to cool, resulting in less cloud formation and below average rainfall in the eastern Indian Ocean and surrounding regions, including Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore.
The Met Service said last month that the government’s Inter-Agency Haze Task Force is coordinating action plans in preparation for the seasonal air pollution.
