Singapore Transboundary Haze Pollution Act explained

Published 27 October 2026 at 2:15 pm · 10 sources · 2000+ searches today

Singapore is reviewing its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act after new notices were sent to companies linked to Indonesian land concessions. Environment Minister Grace Fu said on 27 October 2026 that amendments or new laws could be introduced to close enforcement gaps and strengthen corporate accountability. The move has drawn attention because Singapore is trying to hold overseas-linked companies responsible for haze affecting the country.

Key facts

27 Oct 2026: Grace Fu said Singapore may amend the THPA or add new laws.
23 Oct 2026: NEA issued notices to 10 Singapore-registered companies.
The THPA was enacted in 2014 and covers haze that keeps PSI unhealthy for 24 hours.
The law allows fines of up to S$100,000 per day of pollution.
Singapore also sent notices to 10 foreign companies linked to Indonesian land.

What happened now

Singapore is reviewing its Transboundary Haze Pollution Act, with Environment Minister Grace Fu saying on 27 October 2026 that the government may tighten the law. She said amendments or new legislation could be introduced where necessary to close enforcement gaps, strengthen corporate accountability and improve investigations.

The renewed attention follows notices issued by the National Environment Agency on 23 October 2026 to 10 Singapore-registered companies in the palm-oil or forestry sectors. NEA also issued notices to 10 foreign companies linked to Indonesian land, as Singapore widened its haze investigation.

What the haze law does

The Transboundary Haze Pollution Act was enacted in 2014. It applies to parties that cause or condone fires overseas when the resulting haze keeps Singapore’s Pollutant Standards Index in the unhealthy range somewhere in Singapore for at least 24 hours.

The law allows fines of up to S$100,000 per day of pollution, but Singapore must establish the links between the companies, the overseas land and the haze affecting Singapore before penalties can be imposed. That is why evidence gathering and overseas cooperation matter so much.

Why enforcement is difficult

Singapore’s main challenge is enforcement across borders. The evidence may be overseas, and officers can face difficulty obtaining cooperation from foreign companies, especially when the people involved remain outside Singapore.

That challenge is why the government is reviewing whether the current law is strong enough. Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has said Singapore will investigate companies behind the smog and consider legal action under the THPA, but the government has not announced any specific prosecution yet.

What to watch next

The key question is whether the review leads to amendments to the THPA, a new law, or both. As of 27 October 2026, Singapore has not announced a timetable or details of any changes.

It is also not yet known whether any of the 10 Singapore-registered companies will be prosecuted. NEA asked them about corporate links, Indonesian concessions, fire-prevention measures and firefighting efforts, and the next stage will depend on what those responses show.

Frequently asked

Why is the Singapore transboundary haze pollution act trending now?

It is trending because Singapore is reviewing the law after NEA issued notices to 10 Singapore-registered companies on 23 October 2026. On 27 October 2026, Grace Fu also said the government may amend the law or introduce new legislation.

What does the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act cover?

The THPA, enacted in 2014, applies to parties that cause or condone fires overseas when haze keeps Singapore’s PSI in the unhealthy range somewhere in Singapore for at least 24 hours. It is meant to address pollution that crosses borders into Singapore.

How much can companies be fined under the THPA?

The law allows fines of up to S$100,000 per day of pollution. Singapore still has to establish the necessary links between the company, overseas land and the haze affecting Singapore before penalties can be imposed.

Have any companies been prosecuted yet in this case?

As of 27 October 2026, the government has not announced any prosecution in this latest review. Singapore has issued notices and said it will investigate further, but no outcome has been confirmed.

Sources

Researched automatically from live news and written by Simpledot's AI; facts are limited to what the sources above report as of the published time. Spot an error? Tell us.