Air pollution: The Southeast Asian

haze-1997

Principles of Environmental Health

What is air pollution

Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals, particulate, or biological material that cause
harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or damages the natural
environment into the atmosphere (Flagan & Seinfeld, 2013).

What is Haze?
Haze consists of sufficient smoke, dust, moisture, and vapour suspended in air to
impair visibility. Haze pollution can be said to be transboundary if its density and
extent is so great at source that it remains at measurable levels after crossing into
another countrys air space (Forsyth, 2014).

Description of the problem

In the second half of 1997, large areas in Southeast Asia were severely affected by a
smoke-haze pollution episode caused by the emissions of an estimated 45,600 km2 of
vegetation that burnt on the Indonesian islands Kalimantan and Sumatra. The three
risk that were evident were health, economy and lifestyle (Forsyth, 2014). This
episode can be classified as seasonal.

Risk assessment
Risk assessment is the process of estimating the potential impact of a chemical, physical,
microbiological or psychosocial hazard on a specified human population or ecological
system under a specific set of conditions and for a certain time space (Rodericks, 1994).

Risk management
Risk management is the process which evaluates how to protect public health (EPA, 2016).

Risk communication
Risk communication is vital information which is passed on to people who may be at risk.
This can take two forms one is proactive and the other is reactive (Abkowitz, 2002).

Risk assessment
The blaze of 1997-1998, which

Risk management
Preparedness

affected Brunei Darussalam,

Prevention

Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines,

Procedures for deployment of

Singapore and Thailand, was

among the most damaging in

people, materials, and equipment

across borders

recorded history.
More than 9 million hectares of

The damage was estimated at

more than USD 9 billion in terms
of economic, social and
environmental losses.

Citizens were instructed to stay

indoors.
Use air conditioning
Wear respiratory mask
Avoid exertion

Monitoring and assessment

land were burnt, 6.5 million of

which were forested areas.

Risk communication

Technical cooperation and

scientific research
National and joint emergency
response

Schools, public offices and

factories were ordered closed

Local Agencies

The Jamaica Fire Brigade

Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM)
Jamaica Defence Force (JDF)
Ministry of Health (MOH)
Jamaica Information Service (JIS)
National Water Commission (NWC)
National Solid Waste Management (NSWM)

Vulnerable groups

Individuals with pre-existing respiratory or cardiac

diseases
Elderly
Children

Jamaica Legislation

Every person who sets fire to any crop shall be guilty of an offence against this Act:
Provided that fire may be set, subject to the provisions of sections 4 and 5, to
growing sugar cane for the purpose of ridding it of any vine or other pest (The
Countrys Fire Act, 1942).

References
Abkowitz, M. D. (2002). Environmental Risk Communication What is it and how can it
work?. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION-WACO-, 13(10), 44-44.
Environmental Protection Agency. (2016). Risk management. Retrieved from
https://www.epa.gov/risk/risk-management
Flagan, R. C., & Seinfeld, J. H. (2013). Fundamentals of air pollution engineering. Courier
Corporation.
Forsyth, T. (2014). Public concerns about transboundary haze: A comparison of Indonesia,
Singapore, and Malaysia. Global Environmental Change, 25,76-86.
Heil, A., & Goldammer, J. (2001). Smoke-haze pollution: A review of the 1997 episode in
Southeast Asia. Regional Environmental Change, 2(1), 24-37.
Rodricks, J. V. (1994). Risk assessment, the environment, and public health. Environmental health
perspectives, 102(3), 258.
The Countrys Fire Act (1942). Country Fire. Retrieved from
http://moj.gov.jm/sites/default/files/laws/The%20Country%20Fires%20Act.pdf