Residential areas in the vicinity of these heavy industries, that is, within one kilometre, bear the brunt of the dust assault annually with the seasonal change of monsoon winds. This problem is particularly acute in some parts of Sembawang Town and has been reported in an article in Lianhe Zaobao dated 5th January this year. My question is: what are the planning guidelines when we sited residential areas near to an industrial area? Perhaps, there should be a light industry buffer area to buffer the residential area. This probably is a question to be answered better by MND, but perhaps the Minister could enlighten us a little bit.
Sembawang Shipyard has, over the past two years, invested significantly on indoor blasting facilities and also introduced many measures, such as netting at source, to control the dust pollution. National Parks (NParks) had also planted 500 trees during the Clean and Green Week last year upon our request to create a green belt between the shipyard and the residential areas. Although these dust particles, as claimed by the health officials, are inert and may not result in significant respiratory and other health problems, they are still a source of concern for the residents who have to clean the black dust from their floors, windows and table tops daily.
http://www.parliament.gov.sg/reports/public/hansard/full/20070306/20070306_HR.html
thought the biggest problem was from the sembawang shipyard sandblasting?
the pollution issue was brought up even to the parliament and think they had solved most of the problem. never see any complain about this problem nowadays.
anyway there a Primary School just opposite the block. plenty of young children involving in the area and there 1 secondary near by too if i not wrong. pollution will be the last thing you need to worry.