[SINGAPORE] Asia Pulp & Paper (APP), one of the firms implicated in the 2015 haze, has been issued a Notice of Temporary Restrictions on its green label by the Singapore Environment Council (SEC) as fires from its suppliers’ land have been causing the current haze in the region. Under this notice, APP is subjected to daily fire response reporting requirements and strict monitoring to ensure effective fire prevention and suppression in the concession areas managed by its suppliers, said the council on Oct 19.
These suppliers are Bumi Mekar Hijau, Bumi Andalas Permai and Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries, according to SEC.
APP’s SGLS+ certificate may be suspended if its additional reporting is unable to demonstrate that strengthened monitoring, fire prevention and suppression measures are implemented effectively, SEC added.
“If so, the use of the SGLS+ logo on products associated with the certification would have to cease,” it said.
The three suppliers of wood fibre to APP operate concessions in South Sumatra, Indonesia, and have been issued legal notices by the National Environment Agency (NEA) amid the current haze.
“SEC takes a serious view of the damaging impact of the haze on the health of the people in Singapore, as well as the region, and the environment,” said the council.
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In total, NEA has issued legal notices to 10 companies in Indonesia requesting that they stop the burning on their land in Indonesia and submit plans to extinguish the fires.
It sent these notices to seven companies on Oct 16, and to three more companies on Oct 19. Of these 10, four of them – Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau, SBA Wood Industries and Buana Megatama Jaya – have been identified as suppliers to APP, which was among the firms implicated in the record-breaking haze in the region in 2015. All except Buana Megatama Jaya received similar notices during the 2015 haze crisis, and their cases remain open.
The Straits Times has asked SEC about APP’s fourth supplier, Buana Megatama Jaya.
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The other six companies that were issued notices for the ongoing haze are Paramitra Mulia Langgeng, Sumatera Alam Anugerah, Hutan Lestari Raya, Bangkanesia, Mananjung Hayak and Baratama Putra Perkasa.
Launched in 2017, the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS+) administered by SEC requires certified pulp and paper companies to improve their peatland management and commit to early detection and suppression of fires when they occur by investing in firefighting equipment and having a standard operating procedure to assess fire danger rating daily, for example. Certified companies must also pledge that zero-burning occurs on their plantations. Under the previous Green Label scheme, certified companies needed only to prove that they used sustainable sources and manufacturing processes.
SEC also requires SGLS+ certified companies to check their supply chains and declare whether they source or purchase wood, paper, and pulp products from any of the seven entities served with the prevention measure notices on Oct 16.
“The Singapore Green Label aims to empower consumers to make informed purchasing decisions and support more environmentally responsible products. Consumers make daily purchasing decisions that influence companies’ environmental practices, and they can make a difference by choosing products carefully by looking for the Singapore Green Label where applicable,” said SEC.
During the haze episode in 2015, SEC had suspended the green label on APP products after NEA listed it as one of the firms it was investigating under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act (THPA) for links to regional forest fires that led to the haze. THPA targets those responsible for causing or condoning fires. Supermarkets in Singapore then pulled APP products, including the Paseo brand of paper products, off the shelves. APP received the enhanced (SGLS+) certification in May 2019.
NEA has been tracking hot spots and smoke in the region to identify the companies contributing to the haze, and it is committed to investigating all other companies responsible, said Minister for Sustainability and the Environment Grace Fu on Oct 16. THE STRAITS TIMES