Singapore Expats

Has anyone any idea what that awful smell is in the air after 1030pm in the Serangoon area? We find ourselves having to close windows as it is certainly not pleasant. Is there an industrial plant on the island that burns off rubbish at night or something similar?

I totally know what you mean. It is so bad that it gives me a headache. I have suspected it to be haze but the haze index is not especially high in this area and like you mentioned it is only at certains times at night but have had it also in the morning.
I lived in the East side last year but don't think I had this smell.
I am worried that it is unhealthy but not sure what I can do about it.

I'd suggest contacting the NEA:

http://app2.nea.gov.sg/contactus.aspx

In my (albeit limited) experience, they take enquiries from the public seriously.

daverroberts wrote:Has anyone any idea what that awful smell is in the air after 1030pm in the Serangoon area? We find ourselves having to close windows as it is certainly not pleasant. Is there an industrial plant on the island that burns off rubbish at night or something similar?

Where in Serangoon do you live? We also stay there but havent noticed anything. There is industry in the Tai Seng area, but the operations in this area are not heavy industry (mostly DC's, warehouses, etc.). Strange.

Do contact NEA. We have contacted them a few times because of mosquitoes and they were always very effective in resolving the issue.

It's the cremation ovens... have a look along Lavender Road.... (and no, the ovens are not full of Jews but normal dead bodies).

How do I know this? I sold "obscuration meters" for a few years for smoke stacks and my biggest customers where the cremation guys... visible smoke coming out of a crematorium is bad for business!

offshoreoildude wrote:It's the cremation ovens... have a look along Lavender Road.... (and no, the ovens are not full of Jews but normal dead bodies).

How do I know this? I sold "obscuration meters" for a few years for smoke stacks and my biggest customers where the cremation guys... visible smoke coming out of a crematorium is bad for business!

If this was the reason, then the Boon Keng and Potong Pasir areas would also be covered in stench....just imagine all those locals complaining...

But you are right about the cremation ovens, that's why real estate prices are slightly lower than in adjacent regions (or so I heard...)

there are only 2 areas for cremation in singapore - at mandai and sin ming (2 temples).

I'm staying around Boon Keng and havent noticed any weird smell. Havent seen bodies burning either But the McDonalds stinks pretty bad when u come out of the MRT.

taxico wrote:there are only 2 areas for cremation in singapore - at mandai and sin ming (2 temples).

Ah no - check out the places on Lavender and what do you see sticking out the top? Smoke stacks.

offshoreoildude wrote:

taxico wrote:there are only 2 areas for cremation in singapore - at mandai and sin ming (2 temples).

Ah no - check out the places on Lavender and what do you see sticking out the top? Smoke stacks.

i'm sure there're smoke stacks but AFAIK the govt designates only certain places for (human) cremation...

Nea says there are 3:
http://www.nea.gov.sg/passesaway/burial.htm#cre

Touché

the sin ming temple and the bright hill temple are near each other... they're both at sin ming.

thus i clumped them as one.

Mmmm - ok I'm going into Singaproe casket to check out what they do there.

Better go to one of the 3 locations and check what you can smell. I bet you can not smell anything. A crematorium is for people like having a gsm mast in the direct neighbourhood. Everybody is afraid and still nothing bad happens.