SINGAPORE — Levels of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere will be reflected in Singapore’s Pollutant Standards Index from May, announced Minister for the Environment and Water Resources Vivian Balakrishnan in Parliament today.

Particles less than 2.5 microns, or PM2.5, will be incorporated in the PSI to simplify the system further, he said. Currently, PM2.5 levels are published separate from the PSI — which takes into account levels of PM10, sulphur dioxide, carbon monoxide, ozone and nitrogen dioxide — on the National Environment Agency’s website.

Addressing Members of Parliament’s questions on air quality and transboundary haze, Dr Balakrishnan said that despite the lack of concession maps shared by regional governments for the ASEAN Sub-Regional Haze Monitoring System, Singapore must continue working with its neighbours to obtain information where available. Singapore could renew its bilateral collaboration with Indonesia’s Jambi province later this year through a Memorandum of Understanding, he said.

The Government will also appoint an International Advisory Panel on Transboundary Pollution to advise on trends and developments in international law on this issue. It will be co-chaired by Professor S Jayakumar and Professor Tommy Koh.