Singapore's 2026 haze cost hit S$2.32 billion, researchers find
Why it matters: The estimate tops the 2015 toll even with fewer hazy days, driven by higher health and tourism losses.
Singapore's 2026 haze episode has cost the economy an estimated S$2.32 billion as of Oct. 31, according to a preliminary assessment by Nanyang Technological University professor Euston Quah and Singapore University of Social Sciences researcher Eugene Or. The bill is about 4% above the 2015 estimate after adjusting that earlier figure to September 2026 prices. The researchers found bigger losses this year despite fewer hazy days and a lower average Pollutant Standards Index, citing population growth, higher incomes and visitor spending, and updated health assumptions. They argued the scale of damage supports more spending on prevention, alongside penalties for companies linked to burning.