Indonesia to use dry ice to clear haze from forest fires

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SINGAPORE: Indonesia will trial the use of dry ice, or solid carbon dioxide, to clear the haze on Thursday (Oct 15), said the government, as the country battles forest and land fires that have covered Southeast Asia in thick smoke. 

Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs said on Wednesday that planes will douse the skies over urban centres in South Sumatra with 1.5 tons of dry ice, in the country's first trial of using this technique to tackle smoke pollution.

The operation aims to improve air quality and increase visibility in haze-affected areas, the ministry said in a press release.

Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the dry ice would be used to disperse smoke trapped in the lower atmosphere.

"The function of dry ice is to break down the smoke that was previously below so that it can rise upwards,” said Dudung, after reviewing preparations at Sri Mulyono Herlambang Air Force Base in Palembang.

“This way, there will be no more smoke accumulation in the city and its surrounding areas," he added.

Unlike Indonesia’s weather modification operations (OMC), which aim to induce rain to help extinguish fires, the dry-ice trial is intended to reduce the concentration of haze, the ministry said.

Both methods will be used simultaneously as part of efforts to tackle forest and land fires in South Sumatra.

“The dry ice seeding is specifically to disperse the smoke, while the OMC continues to be implemented to stimulate artificial rain to extinguish the fires. So, we are making all efforts from various angles," Dudung said.

Southeast Asia has been blanketed by thick haze from forest and land fires blamed on illegal burning of trees and crops to clear land for farming.

The worsening haze has already forced school closures in parts of Malaysia and Timor-Leste.

South Sumatra is the first Indonesian province selected to test the dry-ice technique, which Dudung said was being carried out on the direct instructions of President Prabowo Subianto to accelerate efforts to mitigate the impact of the fires.

The operation will be evaluated to determine how effective the technique is at dispersing haze and whether it can be deployed in other affected regions.

"If this trial is successful, we will continue to other areas where haze is concentrated, such as Central Kalimantan and its surroundings," said Dudung.

Authorities hope the operation will improve visibility in smoke-affected areas from about 1km to 5km or more.

The dry ice will be sourced from neighbouring Lampung province and local suppliers.