SINGAPORE: Indonesia will trial the use of dry ice, or solid carbon dioxide, to clear the haze on Thursday (Oct 15), said the government, as the country battles forest and land fires that have covered Southeast Asia in thick smoke.
Indonesia’s Coordinating Ministry for Political and Security Affairs said on Wednesday that planes will douse the skies over urban centres in South Sumatra with 1.5 tons of dry ice, in the country’s first trial of using this technique to tackle smoke pollution.
The operation aims to improve air quality and increase visibility in haze-affected areas, the ministry said in a press release.
Coordinating Minister for Political and Security Affairs Dudung Abdurachman said the dry ice would be used to disperse smoke trapped in the lower atmosphere.
“The function of dry ice is to break down the smoke that was previously below so that it can rise upwards,” said Dudung, after reviewing preparations at Sri Mulyono Herlambang Air Force Base in Palembang.
“This way, there will be no more smoke accumulation in the city and its surrounding areas,” he added.
