Singapore Haze 2026: What Is It Doing to Our Kids?

From Growing Pains · 56:07

Show by HoneyKids Asia

You can smell it before you see it. The haze is back in Singapore, and this year is the worst since 2015.Schools have moved children indoors. Parents are buying air purifiers, and wondering whether they’re doing it right. The group chats are full of advice, and nobody agrees.We sit down with two guests who each know half the story. Journalist Robin Hicks has spent more than 20 years following palm oil and deforestation, and he has names, some of them Singaporean. Dr Cheryl Kam is a family physician with firm views on what is already floating around inside your home, haze or no haze.Who is really responsible? Is your supermarket trolley part of the problem? And why would a doctor worry more about the air inside your house than the air outside?Press play once the kids are asleep.About the Robin HicksRobin Hicks is the former Associate Editor of Eco-Business, with more than 20 years in sustainability journalism across Asia Pacific. He specialises in palm oil, deforestation and Southeast Asia’s energy transition, and he has a zoology degree from the University of Bristol. He also volunteers as a wildlife rescuer with ACRES Singapore.Connect with Robin on LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/robinjahicksAbout the Dr Cheryl KamDr Cheryl Kam is a family physician with a special interest in using nutrients to heal women in various stages of burnout. She is the founder and formulator of the clean supplement company Matrē. In this episode, she explains what the haze does to our bodies and what to do about it at home.Connect with Dr Cheryl Kam:Website: https://www.drcherylkam.com/IG: https://www.instagram.com/drcherylkam/Matrē Supplements: https://www.wearematre.com/What You’ll Take AwayWhy the person who lit the match may not be the one who left the land ready to burnWhich Singapore-listed companies are under scrutiny this year, and which banks are now being asked questionsThe ingredient in about half your supermarket trolley, and why swapping it out could make things worseWhat a doctor says is sitting in your living room right now (and has been for years)The daily routine one doctor does with her windows, and why keeping everything shut may backfireThe food rule a nutrition-obsessed doctor refuses to enforce with her own kidsWhy Robin says we should stop pointing at IndonesiaIn This Episode00:00 Is the Haze Harming Your Family More Than You Think?00:59 Why the Haze Keeps Coming Back to Singapore02:14 What’s Actually Burning — and Why It Matters to You04:55 Why This Haze Season Feels So Much Worse07:03 Who’s Really Responsible for the Air You’re Breathing?18:10 How to Shop Without Funding the Haze Problem20:15 Should You Avoid Palm Oil? The Answer Isn’t That Simple24:18 What PM2.5 Is Actually Doing Inside Your Body30:59 The Best Way to Protect Your Family at Home36:57 What to Feed Kids When You’re Worried About Pollution45:41 How to Reduce Toxins Without Becoming an Anxious Parent50:54 The Haze Rules Our Experts Actually FollowConnect with Growing PainsGrowing Pains is HoneyKids Asia’s podcast for the conversations you want to have after the kids go to bed.YouTube: @growingpains.honeykidsInstagram: @honeykidsasiaWebsite: honeykidsasia.comHit subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. If this one resonated, share it with a parent who needs it.Growing Pains is produced in partnership with Poddster, Singapore’s podcast studio.

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