Key facts
- Indonesia is testing dry ice dispersal to combat wildfire haze.
Indonesia is testing the use of dry ice to combat the toxic haze from widespread wildfires, a measure aimed at improving air quality in South Sumatra. The country has been battling severe fires since January, exacerbated by an El Niño, leading to respiratory illnesses and regional air pollution.
The ongoing wildfires and resulting toxic haze pose significant health risks to millions across Southeast Asia and disrupt regional economies through school closures and grounded flights. The effectiveness of new mitigation strategies like dry ice dispersal could impact future responses to similar environmental crises.
Indonesia is deploying dry ice in an experimental effort to combat the toxic haze blanketing the region, a consequence of severe wildfires that have raged since January. The government plans to disperse dry ice over Palembang, South Sumatra, hoping to improve air quality and visibility. This initiative follows previous attempts including cloud seeding and water bombing, which have proven insufficient against the widespread blazes exacerbated by an El Niño. The fires have already consumed nearly 900,000 hectares and caused significant respiratory illnesses and disruptions across Indonesia and neighboring countries like Singapore and Malaysia. Experts, however, express skepticism about the long-term effectiveness of dry ice, suggesting it may only provide limited, localized relief.
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