On June 20, 2025, Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) announced that, under the Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 (EPMA) and the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) Regulations (EPM (HS) Regs), 2 groups of chemicals and 9 types of mercury-added products will be formally added to the list of controlled hazardous substances.
Chemical Control Details
From August 1, 2025, enterprises engaging in the import, export, manufacture, sale, or commercial possession of the following 2 groups of chemical categories must obtain a Hazardous Substances Licence (HS Licence). Their storage and use require a Hazardous Substances Permit (HS Permit). Regardless of quantity, prior Hazardous Substances Transport Approval (HSTA) is mandatory for transportation:
- Long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (LC-PFCAs) (chain lengths at least C9 but not exceeding C21), their salts and related compounds
- Medium-chain chlorinated paraffins (MCCPs) (chain lengths at least C14 but not exceeding C17)
Mercury-Added Product Ban
From August 1, 2025, Singapore will fully prohibit the import, export, and manufacture of the following mercury-added products:
- Compact fluorescent lamps with an integrated ballast for general lighting purposes that are ≤30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner1
- Cold cathode fluorescent lamps and external electrode fluorescent lamps of all lengths for electronic displays
- Strain gauges to be used in plethysmographs
- The following electrical and electronic measuring devices except those installed in large-scale equipment or those used for high precision measurement, where no suitable mercury free alternative is available:
(a) Melt pressure transducers
(b) Melt pressure transmitters
(c) Melt pressure sensors
- Mercury vacuum pumps
- Tyre balancers and wheel weights
- Photographic film and paper
- Propellant for satellites and spacecraft
- Very high accuracy capacitance and loss measurement bridges and high frequency radio frequency switches and relays in monitoring and control instruments with a maximum mercury content of 20 mg per bridge switch or relay except those used for research and development purposes
Transitional Arrangements
Controlled mercury-containing products imported before August 1, 2025, may continue to be sold and used locally until stocks are depleted.
Policy Objectives and Enforcement
NEA emphasizes that this expansion aims to reduce long-term ecological risks from persistent pollutants and advance Singapore’s obligations under the Minamata Convention on Mercury. Affected enterprises must complete compliance adjustments by August 1, 2025.
Further Information
