Which are the 10 Indonesian firms issued notices under Singapore’s haze law?

Singapore’s National Environment Agency issued legal notices to 10 Indonesian plantation companies under the Transboundary Haze Pollution Act. The notices asked them to stop burning on their land and submit plans to prevent the fires from happening again. This matters because smoke from fires in Indonesia was reaching Singapore and creating a regional haze problem.

The firms operate in South Sumatra and Kalimantan, where many haze-causing hotspots were located. NEA used concession maps, satellite imagery, public information, wind data and meteorological information to trace some fires to companies. The notices therefore focused on both the burning itself and the companies’ plans for future prevention.

The firms could face legal penalties if they fail to comply or are found guilty. Singapore has also warned that companies cannot avoid responsibility through complex corporate structures or by arguing that fires began outside their concessions. Larger corporations linked to concession holders may face scrutiny.

Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act is the country’s legal tool for responding to pollution from fires outside Singapore that sends haze across the border. In this case, it allowed the National Environment Agency to issue notices to Indonesian plantation companies. The law matters because the fires were in Indonesia, while the smoke affected Singapore.

The Act supports requests for companies to stop burning and explain how they will prevent repeat fires. Authorities examine concession maps, satellite images, public information, wind speed, wind direction and meteorological conditions. These details help connect fires on plantations with smoke likely to move towards Singapore.

Companies found guilty under the Act can be fined up to $100,000 a day. The total fine is capped at $2 million. Singapore has used the law twice, first during the severe 2015 haze crisis and again against 10 firms in 2026.

Three of the 10 companies receiving notices in 2026 had also been notified during Singapore’s 2015 haze crisis. That makes them repeat offenders in Singapore’s enforcement record. The repeat notices are significant because Greenpeace Indonesia said the same three companies had continued burning repeatedly since 2015.

The three firms are Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau and Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries. All have plantations in South Sumatra. Four of the 10 companies are officially listed on Asia Pulp & Paper’s website as pulpwood suppliers. Baratama Putra Perkasa, a fifth company, may also have APP ties, based on past media reports.

APP is part of the wider Sinar Mas conglomerate. In 2015, three of the six companies that received notices were APP-linked. The repeated notices have renewed attention on corporate responsibility and whether larger groups can be held accountable for concession companies’ actions.

Singapore did not rely on satellite images alone. The National Environment Agency combined satellite imagery with maps showing plantation concessions and information gathered from public sources. This helped identify where fires were burning and which companies controlled the affected land.

Authorities then examined wind speed and direction, along with other meteorological information. These conditions show whether smoke from a fire was likely to move towards Singapore. By comparing the fire’s location with concession boundaries and the expected movement of smoke, NEA could trace some haze sources to particular companies.

This approach matters because the plantations are in Indonesia, while the pollution was experienced in Singapore. It gives Singapore a basis for issuing notices under its haze law. Senior Minister K. Shanmugam said companies cannot simply claim that fires began outside their plantations if the fires later spread inside their boundaries.

Companies found guilty under Singapore’s Transboundary Haze Pollution Act can be fined up to $100,000 for each day of an offence. The total fine is capped at $2 million. These penalties give Singapore a legal way to pressure plantation companies even when the fires and concessions are located in Indonesia.

Singapore has also warned that enforcement will not stop at the named concession holders. K. Shanmugam said firms cannot hide behind complicated corporate structures or deny responsibility because their plantations are overseas. If companies do not cooperate, the Government may examine who they are linked to and act against larger corporations behind them.

Beyond the law, Singapore is exploring economic measures. Shanmugam said these could apply pressure where it matters most, including companies’ bottom lines. The Government therefore may combine fines, corporate investigations and financial pressure to encourage fire prevention and cooperation.

Singapore previously used its haze law during the severe 2015 crisis that blanketed South-east Asia. The National Environment Agency issued legal notices to six Indonesian firms. By the time of the reported update, two cases had been closed, while investigations into the remaining four were still open.

Three of the six companies notified in 2015 were linked to Asia Pulp & Paper. NEA’s action prompted local supermarket chains to remove APP products, including Paseo toilet rolls, from their shelves. Those products later returned after receiving green certification from the Singapore Environment Council.

The 2026 notices show that earlier enforcement did not end the issue. Three companies notified again were Bumi Andalas Permai, Bumi Mekar Hijau and Sebangun Bumi Andalas Wood Industries. Greenpeace said the three had repeatedly burned since 2015. Singapore is now considering broader corporate and economic pressure.

Transboundary haze occurs when fires in one country produce smoke that crosses into another. In this case, fires on Indonesian plantations sent smoke haze towards Singapore. The article identifies fires and burning on plantation land as the direct source of the pollution affecting Singapore.

Smoke can travel across the sea when wind carries it from Indonesia towards Singapore. NEA examined wind speed and direction, as well as wider meteorological information, to determine whether smoke from particular fires was likely to move in Singapore’s direction. Satellite imagery and concession maps helped identify the fires and the land involved.

This cross-border movement makes responsibility difficult to address because the fires are in Indonesia but the haze affects Singapore. Singapore’s legal notices seek to make companies control fires on their land. The Government is also considering corporate and economic measures because the problem can persist across national boundaries.