Haze Crisis: Are Other Firms Escaping Shame, Blame?

The Straits Times

04 November 2015

More companies in Singapore have distanced themselves from Asia Pulp and Paper (APP) over its supposed links to the haze. As of yesterday, 114 had declared that they were not using products of firms such as APP, which has been accused of having fires on its concessions.

APP suggests it is paying a price for being too open.

It has made available all of its suppliers’ concession maps to the Washington-based World Resources Institute (WRI) “as part of our commitment to transparency”, APP managing director of sustainability Aida Greenbury told The Straits Times.

Since other pulp and paper producers and oil palm and agricultural firms do not share such information, observers say it is hard to nail them if there are fires on their concessions. It also gives the “incorrect impression that APP has the most fires on its suppliers’ concessions”, Ms Greenbury added.

… Dr Jonatan Anderias Lassa from Nanyang Technological University’s S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies added that governments have a role to play in reducing the risk of haze. “And one of the measures is to control the burning of the peatland,” he said.

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