Managing Fumes and Odour from Converted Eateries in Residential Areas

Mr Murali Pillai asked the Minister for National Development in respect of the conversion of shops to eateries at shopping malls, whether URA will consider introducing an approval system to address potential problems dealing with fumes and odour that may emanate from the converted eateries to nearby residential areas and to impose quantifiable odour and fume standards for all eateries to observe.

Shopping malls are sited on land zoned by URA for commercial use. Restaurants, including eating houses, cafés, and food courts, are an allowable commercial use in shopping malls.

There are currently no established standards or limits for food-related odours. Nevertheless, to minimise dis-amenities caused by the discharge of fumes and odours, developers and managing agents of premises with eateries and individual eateries are required by NEA and SFA to install exhaust systems with air cleaning functions. They are also required to direct their exhaust outlets away from neighbouring premises as much as possible, and ensure that their exhaust systems are kept clean and properly maintained.