Proposed Control of Certain Mercury-added Products in Singapore 
 
 
Introduction 
 
The National Environment Agency (NEA) of Sin gapore is carrying out a public consultation 
on the proposed plan to phase out the manufactu re, import and export of certain mercury-added 
products (i.e., fluorescent lamps, high pressure  mercury vapour lamps, switches and relays, and 
non-electronic measuring de vices) by 1 Jan 2020.   
 
Background  
 
2 The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a gl obal and legally binding instrument intended 
to protect human health and the environment fr om anthropogenic emissions and releases of 
mercury and mercury compounds. Sin gapore signed on to the Minamata Convention on 10 Oct 
2013 indicating our commitment to safegu ard public health and the environment,  and we are 
working towards ratifying the Convention. As a Part y to the Convention, one of the obligations is 
to phase out the manufacture, import and export of mercury-added products  by 2020. The list of 
mercury-added products controlled under the Conv ention (including exemptions) is shown in 
Annex 1. 
 
3 Many manufacturers have switched to produc ing alternatives to mercury-added products, 
in line with the global movement of businesses towards incorporating environmental considerations and in response to government polic ies. As alternatives to  mercury-added products 
are now readily available, and as Singapore pr epares to implement the obligations of the 
Convention, the domestic control measures fo r mercury-added products are currently being 
reviewed.   Current Domestic Controls on Mercury-added Products 
 
4 Since 1 Jul 2009, mercury-containing clinic al thermometers have been controlled as 
Hazardous Substances (HS) under NEA’s Environm ental Protection and Management Act (EPMA). 
Such thermometers are not allowed to be imported  and sold for local use. Similarly, since 1 July 
2012, compact fluorescent lamps containing more th an 5mg of mercury per lamp, as well as linear 
and circular fluorescent lamps containing more than 10mg of mercury per lamp are controlled as 
HS under the EPMA. Compact, linear and circular fluorescent lamps containing mercury exceeding 
the stipulated limits are not allowed to be imported and sold for local use.  
   New and Enhanced Control Measures for Mercury-added Products in Singapore  
 
5 NEA has been progressively reviewing the dome stic control of mercury-added products. In 
the first phase, NEA focused on the control of mercury-added batteries and button cell batteries. 
From 1
st Quarter 2018 onwards, NEA will tighten th e allowable mercury content in batteries 
(including button cells) to 5 ppm (by weight) and below.  
 6 In the next phase of the review, NEA intends  to control all the mercury-added products 
listed in Annex A of the Minamata Convention. NE A will also be exempting the applications that 
are excluded from control in the Convention. Th e proposed control meas ures for mercury-added 
products targeted and phase-out date are listed in Table 1. 
 
Table 1: Proposed control measures and phase-o ut date for certain me rcury-added products 
Mercury-added products Proposed control measure – the manufacture, 
import and export of th e products listed below 
will be phased-out Proposed 
phase-
out date  
Lamps*  
  
 
       
1 Jan 
2020 Linear fluorescent lamps (LFLs)  LFLs for general lighting purposes: 
• Triband phosphor <60 watts with a mercury 
content exceeding 5 mg per lamp 
High pressure mercury vapour (HPMV) lamps HPMV lamps for general lighting purposes 
Cold cathode fluorescent 
lamps (CCFLs) and external electrode fluorescent lamps (EEFLs)  CCFLs and EEFLs for electronic displays: 
• Short length ( ≤500mm) with mercury content 
exceeding 3.5 mg per lamp 
• Medium length (>500 mm and ≤1500 mm) 
with mercury content exceeding 5 mg per 
lamp 
• Long length (>1500 mm) with mercury content 
exceeding 13 mg per lamp 
Non-electronic measuring devices 
• Barometers 
• Hygrometers 
• Manometers 
• Thermometers* The listed non-electronic measuring devices, 
except non-electronic me asuring devices installed 
in large-scale equipment or those used for high 
precision measurement, where no suitable  
* Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) for general lighting purposes ≤30 watts with a mercury content 
exceeding 5 mg per lamp burner, halophosphate phosphor LFLs ≤40 watts with a mercury content 
exceeding 10 mg per lamp and mercury clinical thermometers listed under the Convention are 
already controlled by NEA.  Proposed Regulatory Control  
7 Following industry consultation, NEA plans to  gazette the control of the mercury-added 
products listed in Table 1 under the EPMA. From 1 Jan 2020, the manufacture, import and export 
of non-compliant mercury-added products in Sing apore will not be allowed. Stocks of products 
listed in Table 1 that are imported and supplied in  the market before the effective date will be 
allowed to be sold loca lly until they are depleted. 
 
Compliance    
8 Manufacturers, importers or distributors have to declare at import/export stage on the 
compliance of the mercury-added products and produce test repo rts/safety data sheets on the 
composition of the products.   9 The listed mercury-added products must be co mpliant with Singapore’s requirements. If a 
product is suspected to be non-compliant, NE A may request for the manufacturer/trader’s 
declaration of conformity and/or test reports. As  part of the enforcement process, NEA conducts 
market surveillance whereby products are sent fo r testing. Companies with products that are 
found to be non-compliant may be subjecte d to product withdrawal and penalty. 
    
* * * • Sphygmomanometers mercury-free alternative is available. 
Switches and relays 
 
- Switches and relays, except very high accuracy 
capacitance and loss me asurement 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.  
 ANNEX 1 
 
Minamata 
Convention Annex A