SINGAPORE - Pharmacy chain Watsons has declared that it does not carry products from companies allegedly responsible for fires in Indonesia that are causing the haze.

Watsons Singapore chief operating officer Dominic Wong said in a statement that it had signed the Singapore Environment Council's (SEC) declaration form on Tuesday (Oct 13). He added that the company has processes in place to ensure that products sourced from allegedly errant firms are not sold in Watsons stores.

He added: "We would like to reassure all our customers that we are committed to bringing the best in health and beauty to them, which includes sourcing for products in a responsible way that minimises the impact our business has on the environment."

At least 39 companies have signed the SEC's form to date. These include supermarket chains like Cold Storage and Sheng Siong and several paper companies.

Meanwhile, the National Environment Agency (NEA) on Monday (Oct 12) asked a sixth Indonesian firm, PT Bumi Andalas Permai, to take measures to mitigate the hazy conditions. The NEA also revealed that Singapore-listed firm Asia Pulp and Paper, which was served a legal notice to supply information on its subsidiaries in Singapore and Indonesia, as well as measures taken by its suppliers in Indonesia to put out fires in their concessions, has done so.

The haze worsened in Singapore on Tuesday, with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index moving into the unhealthy band.