2016 Southeast Asian haze

Environment

The Southeast Asian Haze harmed the environment. Haze has an impact on agriculture as well since it interferes with photosynthesis. This is because the leaves are covered in insoluble aerosols, which can reduce photosynthesis, yields, carbon dioxide absorption, and greenhouse effect. As a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions in the area and a detriment to species and ecosystems, the haze also has a significant negative influence on the environment as stated before. Political conflicts have arisen in the region as a result of the global problem of the haze. In addition to directly causing rainforest fires, the haze also negatively affects the health and reproductive of local animals, including orangutans, birds, and amphibians. Additionally, it has been hypothesized that haze influences marine habitats. Researchers are slightly better educated about plants. The particulates and chemicals in the haze interfere with plants' ability to reproduce and perform photosynthesis by adhering to leaves and weakening the sun's rays. Additionally, smoke hinders insects' capacity to pollinate flowers. A study found the effects of haze pollution in Southeast Asia to significantly impact farmers at a local level too, resulting in the decline in crop quantity and quality as well as soil quality.

Human health

According to Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, spokesman for the National Disaster Management Agency, as many as 168,000 people in affected areas of Indonesia were seeking medical attention for respiratory issues. These solutions represent only a modest effort to address these issues. Although the immediate effects are stunning, determining the long-term hazard might be challenging. The contaminants can seriously harm one's health over the long run in addition to causing irritation to the eyes and respiratory system. Southeast Asian haze has high concentrations of PM10 and PM2.5 particles, which are small enough to be inhaled and can exacerbate or even cause respiratory diseases like asthma. Short-term exposure to high levels of haze particles may irritate the eyes, nose, and throat in healthy people (i.e., continuous exposure to unhealthy daily average PSI levels over the course of a few days). Most of the time, this irritation goes away on its own. Any exposure is short-term in nature (i.e. continuous exposure to unhealthy daily average PSI levels over a period of a few days) and such exposure may vary from year to year. As international studies are based on long term exposure to air pollution, there is little robust data on the longer-term effects of episodic short-term exposures to haze like the pattern seen in Singapore.

In general, children, elderly, and people with chronic lung disease or heart disease are more sensitive to the health effects of haze, and should adopt the preventive measures in the MOH health advisory when air quality is poor. The size of particles is directly linked to their potential for causing health problems. Small particles less than 10 micrometers in diameter pose the greatest problems, because they can get deep into human lungs, and some may even get into the bloodstream. Exposure to such particles can affect both the lungs and the heart. Numerous scientific studies have linked particle pollution exposure to a variety of problems, including: premature death in people with heart or lung disease, nonfatal heart attacks, irregular heartbeat, aggravated asthma, decreased lung function, increased respiratory symptoms, such as irritation of the airways, coughing or difficulty breathing. People with heart or lung diseases, children, and older adults are the most likely to be affected by particle pollution exposure.