Providing Disaster Relief: Haze Emergency Kits Phase One

Forest fires are an annual problem during Indonesia’s dry season. During this season, fires are commonly lit to clear and prepare land for agricultural development. This practice is especially prevalent in parts of Sumatra and Kalimantan. These fires create high levels of air pollution, commonly referred to as “haze”.

A 2016 study published by researchers at Harvard and Columbia University suggested that the particularly severe 2015 haze event may have led to the premature deaths of over 100,000 people. The majority of these deaths are believed to have been in Indonesia. During the same year, Indonesia’s disaster management agency said that more than 43 million Indonesians had been exposed to smoke from the fires, and half a million had suffered acute respiratory infections.

At the dry season’s peak, air pollution will often exceed the maximum level of 1,000 on the international Pollutant Standard Index (PSI) - anything above 300 is considered hazardous. The toxic smoke causes widespread respiratory, eye, and skin ailments. These health conditions are especially hazardous for the very young and elderly, as the haze includes dangerous levels of carbon dioxide, cyanide, and ammonium. The long-term health impacts from prolonged exposure to haze are not yet known, but experts have predicted they will be significant.

To help minimize the health impact resulting from exposure to haze, we will test haze emergency kits comprising of:

1. An air purifier sourced from Smart Air Filters

If our low-cost emergency kit - consisting of an air purifier, safe room toolkit and mask - is effective, we hope this solution will help protect people’s respiratory health during haze conditions.