Haze from Indonesian fires fuels regional boom in oxygen and air-purifier sales

Toxic haze from Indonesian forest fires has spread across parts of Southeast Asia, prompting school closures and a surge in respiratory complaints. Medical-equipment supplier AA Alive, located just outside Kuala Lumpur, says sales of oxygen tanks and concentrators have risen 35%, with the firm renting about 40 units each day. Patients like 69-year-old Md Noor Bujang rely on new concentrators to ease breathing difficulties.

Technicians note that the haze’s pollutants halve the lifespan of concentrator filters. Air-purifier retailers Courts and Gain City report sales increases of 600% and nine-fold respectively since the haze began. Health researchers caution that continuous exposure could lead to lasting respiratory problems, particularly in children.