Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompetence

[makapaaa]

[h=2]Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings[/h]

June 20th, 2013 |

Author: Editorial

Last night (19 Jun), Singapore’s PSI set a record of 321
(10 pm) and crossed into “Hazardous” territory. At the 301-400 “Hazardous”
level, there is early onset of certain diseases in addition to significant
aggravation of symptoms in susceptible persons and decreased exercise tolerance
in healthy persons.

This morning (20 Jun), Singaporeans woke up to even worse conditions as thick
haze blanketed the whole island. Everywhere, windows were shut yet people could
smell the smoke in their shuttered homes. Everywhere, people could hardly
breathe and were coughing away and sneezing to clear their lungs. People
complained of a general discomfort and those with sensitive skin complained of
itchiness. Some even slept the night before with an N95 mask on.

Despite all the physical and physiological evidence that things have turned
markedly worse, the NEA PSI reading for this morning showed an incredible
improvement to just 122 (8 am), 131 (9 am) and 153 (10 am) [Link]. This led Singaporeans to wonder if NEA grossly
understated its PSI readings.

Sentiments on
Yahoo! Singapore

Ken a Yahoo! Singapore reader, exclaimed:

IS OUR PSI ACCURATE IT SEEMS TO BE WORSEN BUT PSI IS
LOW!!!!!!
​

Another Yahoo! Singapore reader Andy said:

I can be the TALENT our garmen is looking for too. When such things like the
haze and the Dengue fever outbreak, just point fingers or update figures only.
But the figures seemed going up and not down. Ah Lee, hire me.
Pay me 300k annually will do. No bonus never mind.
​

Yet a third disbelieving reader Algoree said:

Now 11am outside my house, I’m sure the psi is way above
300, I feel giddy and escaping to the library… haze getting worse after
the first warning many days back.
​

Sentiments on Minister Shanmugam’s FB
page

Over on Minister Shanmugam’s Facebook page, Singaporeans were equally
incredulous.

Jerry Lim couldn’t believe the PSI reading, saying:

Psi 122 at 8am??!! Who are we kidding? Time to change the
machine.
​

Tajuddin Shumsudin said:

PSI level is at 131 according to NEA, are they kidding us, we are not
blind nor we can’t smell, the visibility and smell is terrible that its
definately above 300, be open to your people, we can understand the
government is taking all steps to help us, but don’t just say its at unhealthy
level.
​

Doreen Choo advised:

Please tell the truth about the PSI level and you will have less angry
citizens!
​

Bruce Tong asked in disbelief:

PSI at 131? It looks even worse than yesterday same time!
​

Karen Fu, replying to Bruce Tong, said:

Bruce: I was thinking the same. Today’s haze is worse than
yesterday’s. I just read PSI at 153 but it does feel like its more than 200.
Visibility beyond 100 m is almost ‘invisible’.
​

Kang Kim Sheng said:

Here’s an idea from a normal citizen who doesn’t get paid millions like
u.

Activate the SCDF to spray water to lessen down the haze since i do not think
we will get any rain anytime soon.

Today’s readings are clearly toned down cause when i go to work, i’m
coughing and my eyes HURT!
​

Sentiments on Minister Vivian’s FB
page

A check on Minister Vivian Balakrishnan’s Facebook page reveals the same
sentiments.

Sam Emeritus said:

Sir, suggest NEA to provide spot psi for the hour. The haze now looked worst
than 321as @10pm last night (spot psi could be 400 zone then).
Relatively, I reckon the spot psi now should be above
400.
​

Ilham Solaris piped in:

I also believe the showing of 2 hr PSI values is not the most
accurate. We experience high spots in SG with over 400 PSI. I have two
Babys at home and don’t know what to do, because we can’t do
much…
​

SiewYin Lim said:

Painful even to breathe. Access to breathable air should be
a basic public right.
​

Aimsuriyani Nineteensixtyfour mocked:

Hello mr VB & NEA,r u awake??
​

Shawn Sugendran asked:

Is the NEA reading accurate ? My view from my house says otherwise. Please
see the photo on my FB page.
​

Lynne Tan Xinlin said:

I trust that the PSI reading is accurate information to the public.
Right now, at 10am, reported reading is 153 psi. This was the reading a
few days ago. And yet the sky looks 10x more hazy. Maybe we should
re-calibrate the measuring technique.
​

Chen Clement cried for help:

Then for goodness sake do something! I don’t need data to tell me,
I’m choking!
​

Jasxy Feng is clearly not impressed with Minister Vivian,
saying:

I think you should step down, seriously. I understand this situation is out
of your control, but you can focus more on the people and be decisive,
instead of just relying on the mean PSI index for 3 hrs like watching stock
market.
​

Suffian Sani warned:

The least u can do is UPDATE THE CORRECT PSI READING!!! IT’S NOT ACCURATE! !
YOU WILL BE HELD RESPONSIBLE FOR DISPLAYING INCORRECT READINGS
​

Ng ChiengYang is worried sick, asking:

Can someone tell me how true is this?

”Remaining 24 hours within an area with a 200-300 reading is equivalent to
smoking 20 cigarettes!”
​

Shilpa Vijith has almost given up:

It’s getting very serious. Very very very smoky.. Started feeling sick even
if stay inside home.
​

Mkian Liang sympathizes with Shilpa Vijith:

Agree with shilpa vijith. Most worrying is the children at home. My 4
year old suddenly had high fever 39.8 & dr say it’s viral fever most likely
related to the haze..

​

WeeHou Liauw said:

Its not our government’s fault that the haze occurred but at the very
least give us accurate PSI reading so that we can have the appropriate
approach.
​

Zehan’s Khan is disdainful:

It’s been so many days of haze but no action . Nothing . Only talk.
Guess yr waiting for a PSI of 500 which of course will not be
declared
​

Angeline Ng asked:

Quick question, is NEA smoking us with the PSI figures?
​

Tay Susan said:

PSI Outside does not look safe zone!!
​

Denise Wong said:

PSI readings are lower than what i’m seeing out here!
​

Vince Goh implored:

Minister, please provide us hourly PSI reading, not average 3 hrs reading.
The current situation is beyond unhealthy range. The haze has entered the north
point shopping mall and mrt stations. How truthful is NEA and your
ministry? Singaporeans need to know accurate information which I believe the
state government should do and provide.
​

Changing PM2.5 to PM10

Some Facebook users are also concerned and suspicious about NEA’s use of PM10
rather than PM2.5 to measure particulate matter size.

Mervyn Lim Ding Yan asked:

Dear Minister Vivian, shouldn’t PM2.5 be used as the main indicator instead,
since particulate matter smaller than 2.5 micron are potentially more harmful to
the human body? Please treat us as informed adults. Thanks.
​

Jash Ngo P L asked:

Why was the reading changed from PM2.5 to PM10 ?
​

Singaporeans are evidently unconvinced that NEA is putting out accurate PSI
readings. Instead they think the government is covering up the horrible truth so
as not to alarm the population.

NEA should issue a statement to ‘clear the air’ (pun intended) by explaining
how they actually measure PSI levels.

Meanwhile, tourists are beating a fast track out of Singapore. “We are going
to leave Singapore two days early because we are having trouble breathing,” said
Zac Kot, 40, an American businessman on holiday here with his wife and two young
girls.

PSI levels above 400 may be life-threatening to ill and elderly
persons and healthy people may experience adverse symptoms that affect normal
activity. Are NEA’s figures accurate or are they wrong? Is the
government honest about the extent of the haze problem or are they deliberately
downplaying and underreporting PSI figures which have shot through the roof?

What do you think?



Related: Did NEA massage the PSI reading?

 

[CPT (NS) BRANDON]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

Basically should release the 1-hour spot PSI reading. Forget about the fucking 3 hour average or 24 hour average or whatever. Citizens just want to know what is the level of air pollution RIGHT NOW, as people need to make decisions on whether to go out or not.

 

[makapaaa]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

[h=2]NEA ’smokes’ Singaporeans with dinosaur-age PSI readings[/h]

June 22nd, 2013 |

Author: Contributions

Singapore’s 3-hourly Pollutant Standards Index (PSI)
smashed the previous record of 371 set on Thursday (20 Jun) to hit a new high of
401 yesterday (21 Jun) at 12pm.

On Wednesday, the record was 321, set at 10pm. On 3 consecutive days, the PSI
set 3 records which means the haze is not only the worst in Singapore’s history,
it is getting worse by the day!

To add insult to injury, the National Environment Agency (NEA) in charge of
measuring the amount of pollutants in the air appears to be ’smoking’ (pun
intended; Singlish for bluffing, deceiving, misleading)
Singaporeans.

Using PM10 instead of PM2.5 to
calculate PSI

NEA currently bases its “PSI readings” on PM10 only. As it says on its
website, “The 3hr PSI readings are calculated based on PM10
concentrations only” (‘NEA’s PSI webpage‘).

What is PM10? Airborne pollutants come in big sizes and
small. The big particles are between 2.5 and 10 micrometres in size i.e. 25 to
100 times thinner than a human hair. These particles are called PM10 (pronounced
“P M ten”) which stands for Particulate Matter up to 10 micrometres.

Particulate matter – also known as atmospheric particulate matter or simply
particulates – are tiny pieces of solid or liquid matter associated with the
earth’s atmosphere.

The symbol for micrometre is µm (a symbol found on NEA’s website). 1
micrometre or 1 micron is one-millionth of a metre.

PM10 is also called “respirable suspended particle” or RSP since RSP are
particles with a diameter of up to 10 µm.

What is PM2.5? You guessed it, PM2.5 (pronounced “P M two
point five”) as in Particulate Matter up to 2.5 µm in size are the relatively
small airborne pollutants.

PM2.5 is also known as fine particles since fine particles have a diameter of
2.5 µm or less.

Difference between PM10 and
PM2.5

Fine particles i.e. PM2.5 are lighter and stay in the air longer and travel
further than PM10. PM10 can stay in the air for minutes or hours while PM2.5 can
stay in the air for days or weeks. PM10 can travel as little as 1 km or as much
as 50 km. PM2.5 can travel much further – many hundreds of kilometres.

Here is the important question. Which is more dangerous: PM2.5 or
PM10?

When you inhale, you breathe in air along with any particles that are in the
air. The air and the particles travel into your respiratory system i.e. your
lungs and airway. Along the way, the particles can stick to the sides of your
airway or travel deeper into your lungs.

The further the particles go, the worse the effect.

Bigger particles are more likely to stick to the sides or get wedged into one
of the narrow passages deep in the lung. Smaller particles can pass through the
smaller airways. Because PM2.5 travels deeper into the lungs and is made up of
substances that are more toxic e.g. heavy metals and cancer causing organic
compounds, it is far more dangerous than PM10. PM2.5 particles are so fine they
can even enter the bloodstream.

So, because PM2.5 can penetrate deep into the lungs and is more
toxic, measuring it is considered a more accurate reflection of air quality than
simply measuring PM10.

The PSI readings that are updated every hour, on the hour, on NEA’s website
do not take into account PM2.5 but are based solely on PM10. The hourly PSI
readings that appear in the media, such as the screaming headline in Thursday’s
(20 Jun) edition of The Straits Times: “RECORD PSI AT 10 PM 321
Plans in place if haze worsens” are, make no mistake, PM10
readings.

Is PSI obsolete?

PSI is just a name for an air quality index. The name is not as important as
the computation behind it. In Singapore’s case, the computation is obsolete.
Singapore’s PSI is based on an American model developed in the late 60’s. In
1999, with advances in technology and knowledge, the Americans replaced the PSI
with the Air Quality Index (AQI) to incorporate new PM2.5 and ozone
standards.

The Chinese experience

To illustrate how unpopular and antiquated the PSI is, consider that even
China has switched to providing PM2.5 AQI readings [Link].

In the past, China gave only PM10 PSI readings, which the Chinese citizens
rejected because they knew from the air they were breathing that the reading had
to be much higher. So the Chinese people turned to the website of the American
Embassy in Beijing for both hourly PM2.5 readings and hourly AIQ numbers based
on those readings. This caused the Chinese government no end of embarrassment,
so finally they too issued PM2.5 readings and AQI numbers according to their
interpretation. Beginning early 2012, hourly air quality updates are now
available online for more than 70 Chinese cities.

To be sure, the Chinese AQI interprets data somewhat less stringently than
the American AQI, but it is still way better than the relic which is the PSI for
the simple reason that the AQI incorporates PM2.5 whereas the PSI does not.

The Chinese experience mirrors what Singaporeans felt on Thursday morning (22
Jun) when they knew instinctively that the PSI could not be so low (‘Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings‘).
Like the Chinese, Singaporeans distrust the government’s data and are searching
for better quality data.

So this is the first way NEA ’smokes’ Singaporeans, by using an antiquated
and inferior air quality indicator.

Giving
3-hour average numbers instead of 1-hour spot numbers

The second way NEA ’smokes’ Singaporeans is by giving out 3-hour average
numbers instead of 1-hour spot numbers. This has the effect of smoothening out
PSI numbers so that the real high is never known to the public. When the PSI hit
a supposed high of 401 at 12pm yesterday (21 Jun), you can bet your last N95
mask that the real number was even higher.

How much higher you might ask? For the answer, we have to look at the actual
3-hour PSI posted on NEA’s website and study the “math” behind
it.

For the mathematically inclined

Suppose:

A = (a + b + c)/3 where A = 3-hr PSI at 12pm, a = 1-hr PSI at 12pm, b = 1-hr
PSI at 11am, c = 1-hr PSI at 10am

B = (b + c + d)/3 where B = 3-hr PSI at 11am, b = 1-hr PSI at 11am, c = 1-hr
PSI at 10am, d = 1-hr PSI at 9am

C = (c + d + e)/3 where C = 3-hr PSI at 10am, c = 1-hr PSI at 10am, d = 1-hr
PSI at 9am, e = 1-hr PSI at 8am

D = (d + e + f)/3 where D = 3-hr PSI at 9am, d = 1-hr PSI at 9am, e = 1-hr
PSI at 8am, f = 1-hr PSI at 7am

E = (e + f + g)/3 where E = 3-hr PSI at 8am, e = 1-hr PSI at 8am, f = 1-hr
PSI at 7am, g = 1-hr PSI at 6am

NEA is very sneaky because if you want to calculate the 1-hour PSI at any
time (what every Singaporean wants to know) from the above, you will find it is
mathematically impossible.

A, B, C, D, E are known values, being “PSI readings” published by NEA every
hour on the hour. However, a, b, c, d, e, f, g – the 1-hour PSI values – are all
unknowns. To calculate exactly the 1-hour PSI values i.e. a, b, c, d, e, f, g,
there must be at least as many simultaneous equations as there are unknowns.
Unfortunately, there are too few simultaneous equations and too many unknowns.
For example, if you take the first 3 equations above involving A, B and C, you
get 3 equations and 5 unknowns; if you take all 5 equations involving A, B, C, D
and E, you get 5 equations and 7 unknowns. So, what Singaporeans call “the real
PSI” remains a secret.

To prove “the real PSI” remains a secret, let us assume that the 3-hour PSI
is a constant 180 throughout the day. It is tempting to think that the 1-hour
PSI must also be constant i.e. 180 throughout, but no, it could be that as well
as a recurring 170, 190, 180, 170, 190, 180, 170, 190, 180, etc.

Nevertheless there is useful information to glean from all the 3-hour PSI
readings, such as:

A – B = (a-d)/3

B – C = (b-e)/3

C – D = (c-f)/3, etc

Now C – D = (c-f)/3 implies c – f = 3(C – D). This is where it gets
interesting.

Consider the 3-hour PSI readings for yesterday morning (21 Jun) from 4am to
12pm. They are 104 (4am), 96 (5am), 94 (6am), 111 (7am), 158 (8am), 256 (9am),
367 (10am), 400 (11am), 401 (12pm).

Substituting C = 367 and D = 256 into c – f = 3(C – D), we get c – f = 3(367
– 256) = 3(111) = 333. This means there was a big jump in the 1-hour PSI of
exactly 333 from 7am to 10am. Although we do not know the exact 1-hour PSI value
for 7am (which we have seen is impossible to calculate), since everyone knows
the sky was somewhat hazy, we can safely assume it to have been about 138 which
means the 1-hour PSI for 10am was 138 + 333 = 471!

So, the 1-hour PSI readings for yesterday morning were likely in the region
of 87 (4am), 90 (5am), 105 (6am), 138 (7am), 231 (8am), 399 (9am), 471 (10am),
330 (11am), 402 (12pm). This means the “real PSI” peaked around 471 around
10am!

Data Removal

The third way in which NEA ’smokes’ Singaporeans is by denying them
information.

If you visit NEA’s website just after midnight, you will be shocked to find
just one 3-hour PSI reading staring you in the face. If you want to know what
the PSI reading was an hour ago at 11pm, or 2 hours ago at 10pm, sorry hor, who
ask you to click so late, why you never click earlier, you die your
business.

You search in vain for the missing data but alas, it has left the public
domain and is safely in the pocket of the PAP. Old PSI readings are not
archived or cached. This is to emasculate Singaporeans, for knowledge
is power.

Confusion

The fourth way NEA ’smokes’ Singaporeans is by confusing them.

Look at NEA’s PSI webpage [Link]. See how the large blue
words “PM2.5 Readings” take almost centrestage?

You would think from a quick glance that the numbers beneath “PM2.5 readings”
are… PM2.5 readings! How deceptive!

It is only upon reading the “fine print” after the numbers that you realise
they are “PSI readings based on PM10 concentrations only”.

Another way NEA sows confusion is by calling PSI numbers “PSI readings” 3
times on its PSI page [Link]. Does NEA even know
what it is talking about, one wonders.

Do PM Lee and Ministers Shanmugam and Vivian know what they are talking
about? Or are they all charlatans?

PSI is not a reading. PSI is a number, a value, a
calculation derived from a formula and based on measurements or readings.

The amount of PM2.5 or PM10 in the air is a reading. The amount of sulphur
dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide and ozone in the air, they are
readings. These five readings or measurements are periodically fed into the AQI
or PSI formula to obtain the AQI or PSI number, value or
figure.

Conclusion

The American AQI is the gold standard for air quality indicators. It takes
into account hazardous PM2.5 particulates on an hourly basis and interprets the
data stringently. Singapore should junk the outdated PSI asap and adopt the
latest American model.

For now though, as long as the PAP is sleeping, Singaporeans will have to be
content with the PM2.5 values that NEA publishes 3 times a day – at 8am, 12pm
and 4pm – and figure out how dangerous or safe the air is using this excellent
AQI Calculator.



Jack

 

[makapaaa]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

<cite class="fn">Uncle Lim:</cite>

June
22, 2013 at 1:09 pm Uncle
Lim(Quote)


Well done, Jack. Excellent public service.

Yes, PAP is sleeping and reactive as usual.

With the support of Shitty Times, regime in the past gave the impression they
were above par ministers with excellent vision but actually as proven many times
by their blunders they have feet of clay.

Boycott ST, fellow Singaporeans.

 

[makapaaa]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

[h=2]Did NEA massage the PSI reading?[/h]

June 20th, 2013 |

Author: Contributions




Did NEA massage the PSI reading at 10pm last evening so as not to alarm the
population?

Many had sensed there was something amiss when the figure was not published
on its website on the hour, like it did for all the hours before 10pm.

When it was finally published at 10.45pm, it read a dangerous 393. A psi
watcher took a screenshot which was published by the Facebook group, Occupy
Singapore (see 2nd screenshot). It was almost immediately taken down and
replaced with 321, the reported figure in today’s headline news.

Many Singaporeans knew when they woke up yesterday morning that the psi
readings for the day were going to be record-breaking ones. Problem is, if the
figures were massaged by NEA for public consumption, and not to cause alarm,
then i am afraid Singaporeans are going to end up bigger fools for it.

It was clear, just by looking up into the sky, that yesterday’s psi was
definitely worse than the day before. However we were getting readings that
showed the opposite. It was only at 9pm, when the charade could not be hidden
anymore that the reading leapt 100 points from 190 to 290.

Singaporeans were alarmed at a time when they were preparing to rest for the
night. Some stayed up to monitor the situation but they did not get any update
till almost an hour later.

Yet now, we are none the wiser whether the readings were massaged figures or
actual readings.



The Alternative
View

[source]:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Alternative-View/358759327518739

 

[watchman8]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

Pap should have treated this as if it is chemical warfare and activate the nationwide hazmat procedures. Wonder what is holding back pinky? Is it that hazmat is planned for only 3.2 mil, and hence is insufficient to cope with enlarged population?

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

Pap should have treated this as if it is chemical warfare and activate the nationwide hazmat procedures. Wonder what is holding back pinky? Is it that hazmat is planned for only 3.2 mil, and hence is insufficient to cope with enlarged population?

Bottomline: Peasants lives means nothing to Pappies. Nothing should disrupt peasants productivity.

 

[Confuseous]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

The contents of these postings don't do justice to the seriousness of the matter NOR does the title of the thread.
Such sweetening of data for public consumption deserves a much explicit title for the thread - and let Bargain Hen and Headless Chicken Vivian give a formal response.

Can brothers and sisters please up this thread by posting comments? This is a life-threatening matter - for all of us.

 

[Dark Knight]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

The Sillypore gahbrament has always been treating their peasants as fools.

The "under reported" population for Sillypore in 2011 is already 5.184 mil and in 2012 it's already 5.312 mil.
But you can feel for yourself from the crowd that the actual figure in 2013 may have already reached close to 6mil.

The same goes to the PSI figure, it was deliberately altered to fool all Sillyporeans and the investor here to think that the air is still safe and work can still be carried on as usual.

But in actual fact it's already out of control. You can see very well from this haze crisis that our Sillypore gahbrament is an expert in playing down figures to their own advantage. They simply fxxk care the lives of all the peasants here.

If this incident doesn't wake up the 60%, I don't think what other ways can be done to make them realized they are fools.

 

[makapaaa]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

And still insisting on their lies despite being exposed by the netizens. Of course, the 60% dafties will still kong kong accept the FAP's words as the gospel truth!

[h=1]PSI computation based on US regulations: NEA[/h]EmailPrint

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• By Kimberly Spykerman
• POSTED: 22 Jun 2013 3:00 PM
• TRENDinfo
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[h=2]It may seem that PSI readings do not tally with what you see outside, but the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Saturday that a standard set of methods and equipment that is based on the United States' Environmental Protection Agency regulations is used to measure PSI.[/h]

• PHOTOS
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A general view shows the Singapore River blanketed by haze. (AFP PHOTO / Roslan Rahman)

• Enlarge
• Caption

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<!-- /tab-gallery-area -->SINGAPORE: It may seem that PSI readings do not tally with what you see outside, but the National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Saturday that a standard set of methods and equipment that is based on the United States' Environmental Protection Agency regulations is used to measure PSI.
The National Environment Agency monitors five key pollutants -- sulphur dioxide, oxides of nitrogen, carbon monoxide, ozone, and particulate matter -- and the 24-hour PSI reflects the pollutant with the highest concentration averaged over a 24-hour period.
During the haze, the PM10, or particles 10 microns and smaller, is the predominant pollutant.
Authorities have also urged Singaporeans to refer to the 24-hour PSI reading rather than the three-hour figure.
Indrani Rajaram, project director of Pollution Control Development at NEA, said: "The three-hour PSI is something that was introduced in 1997 during the 1997 smoke haze period. This index is an indicator only because it will correspond to what you see outside your window but it's not the index used to assess the impact of air pollutants on the health."
The three-hour PSI reading is unique to Singapore and is not used in any other country.
Second Minister for Environment and Water Resources Grace Fu also reiterated on Saturday the importance of the 24-hour PSI reading.
She said: "To us, that is the best measurement for both the concentration of the particulate and the duration of the exposure. Scientifically that has been the benchmark method across various jurisdictions, used by many countries."
Separately, Minister for Communications and Information Yaacob Ibrahim said the haze was different from a virus and that “a lot depends on your state of health and the lack of exposure”.
He added: “So far we have set the right tone by allowing the various agencies to make their own assessment but we want to keep Singaporeans informed of the right thing because there is too much misinformation circulating about the haze."
Some have questioned the accuracy of the PSI readings, but NEA said the readings are calculated based on guidelines from the US Environmental Protection Agency.
PSI readings are derived from 11 ambient air monitoring stations mostly located in schools.
Each of the five pollutants has its own analyser which stores data and transmits it via a wireless modem at regular intervals to a data management system at the Environment Building. The system uses a special software to compute the PSI based on data feeds from the various stations.
However when it comes to deciding whether to head out, authorities said the public should look to health advisories which are pegged to 24-hour PSI readings.
Joseph Hui, Deputy Chief Executive of NEA, said: "Short-term exposure according to the advisory for today for individual is OK... In the case of an asthmatic for example, even the walk to the MRT may be too much for them. So preferably try not to go out, but if they have to, put on the mask."


- CNA/ac/jc

 

[watchman8]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

Time for USA embassy to release their own psi and pm2.5 figures, just like how they did in Beijing.

 

[Confuseous]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

The mumbo-jumbo aside, the very fact that the data is being challenged represents yet another expansion of the growing credibility gap which exists between citizens and the govt.

Either the NEA and the ministers have not done a good job of communicating or Sinkies are daft. Very daft.

Either way, the govt needs to be more convincing in its presentation of data.

 

[halsey02]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

There must be a house somewhere in orchard road area, where the PSI reading is perfect, the PH level of the water too, Mosquitoes bearing any form of viruses are kept within a 10km radius, so are vermin of any kind. It is clean, green, hospitable..

That is life...your LIFE!

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

NEA is incompetent - as seen from dengue and flooding
NEA is sneaky - as seen from hawker episode with WP
Who will trust such an agency?

 

[po2wq]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

The mumbo-jumbo aside, the very fact that the data is being challenged represents yet another expansion of the growing credibility gap which exists between citizens and the govt.

Either the NEA and the ministers have not done a good job of communicating or Sinkies are daft. Very daft ...

ah loon has pioneered ze tactic of fixing peasants ... can bruff, bruff ...

last time, wifout internet, dey can bruff ... ppl who noe dey r bruffing cannot even call their bruff ... u write 2 press 2 sexpose dem, dey oso wun publish ur letta ...

now, wif internet, ppl who noe tings share wat dey noe ... info spreads fast ... now, dey cant hide tings n bruff like last time ...

 

[scroobal]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

NEA refused to even acknowledge its own email that was sent out and you expect them to come clean on anything else.

 

[Confuseous]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

NEA = Non Existent Agency

 

[watchman8]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

NEA = Non Existent Agency

No Ethics Agency

 

[batman1]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

If the Govt Body MOM can massaged the jobless figures and the Singaporean/PR/Foreignrs figures,the Govt Agency NEA also can massaged the PSI figures to avoid being exposed of incompetency,impotence and stupidity.
Yeah, Singaporeans better wake up and take care of yourself,DON'T depend on the PAP Govt for help.

 

[Narong Wongwan]

Re: Netizens accuse NEA of grossly understating PSI readings. To Justify FAP Incompet

If the Govt Body MOM can massaged the jobless figures and the Singaporean/PR/Foreignrs figures,the Govt Agency NEA also can massaged the PSI figures to avoid being exposed of incompetency,impotence and stupidity.
Yeah, Singaporeans better wake up and take care of yourself,DON'T depend on the PAP Govt for help.

You still want to expect help? I pray those vile fucktards dun devise new ways to make our lives more miserable can liao!