Singapore to Phase Out 6 Mercury-Added Products

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) recently initiated a public consultation on the proposed control of 6 mercury-added products under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA). Feedback is welcome before 19 September 2024.

These 6 mercury-added products have been agreed to be listed in Annex A of the Minamata Convention on Mercury and scheduled to be phased out. NEA, as the competent authority to fulfill Singapore’s international obligations under this convention, intends to phase out these 6 mercury-added products by 1 January 2027 or 1 January 2028. Their manufacture, import and export will not be allowed from the effective date. The detailed proposals are summarized below.

Object	Proposed control
Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes that are > 30 watts Compact fluorescent lamps with a non-integrated ballast (CFL.ni) for general lighting purposes that are ≤ 30 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: i. Halophosphate phosphor ≤ 40 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 10 mg per lamp ii. Halophosphate phosphor > 40 watts Halophosphate phosphor non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-bend and circular) for general lighting purposes	The manufacture, import and export of these 4 mercury-added products will not be allowed from 1 January 2027.
Triband phosphor non-linear fluorescent lamps (NFLs) (e.g., U-bend and circular) for general lighting purposes Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs) for general lighting purposes: i. Triband phosphor < 60 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp ii. Triband phosphor ≥ 60 watts with a mercury content not exceeding 5 mg per lamp iii. Triband phosphor ≥ 60 watts with a mercury content exceeding 5 mg per lamp	The manufacture, import and export of these 2 mercury-added products will not be allowed from 1 January 2028.