1 PROPOSED CON TROL OF HYDROFLUOROCARBONS (HFC s) IN SINGAPORE  
 
Introduction  
The National Environment Agency (NEA) , Singapore,  is planning to  include 18 types 
of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC s) in the  Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) 
for licensing controls.    
Background  
2 Singapore is a Party to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone 
Layer . The main  aim of the Montreal Protocol is to reduce and eliminate the production and 
consumption  of Ozone Depleting Substances (ODS) .1  At the  28th Meeting of the Parties 
(MOP -28) to the Montreal Protocol held in October 2016, an agreement known as the Kigali 
Amendment was adopted by all Parties , primarily  to phase down the production and 
consumption of HFCs,  which are non -ODS but greenhouse gas es (GHG) .   
3 Commonly used as refrigerants in the Refrigeration and Air -conditioning (RAC) 
equipment, HFC s are key replacements to Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFC s), a type of  ODS 
that is being phased out under the Montreal Protocol.  In view that there is  an increasing 
consumption of HFC s arising from the phase -out of HCFC s mandated  under the Montreal 
Protocol, the control of HFC s has therefore been listed under the ambit of the Protocol.  
Key Elements of the Kigali Amendment  
4 Entry into force:  The Kigali  Amendment will enter into force on 1 Jan 2019 , as there 
are 23 instruments of ratification  deposited  as of 4 Dec 2017 .2  
5 List of controlled HFC:  Under the Kigali Amendment, 18 types of HFCs are listed as 
controlled substances in Annex F of the Montreal Protocol. Apart from controlling the HFC s 
in its pure form, any blends and mixtures that contain one or more of the listed HFC s will 
also be controlled. The list of HFCs to be controlled  can be found in  Annex A . 
6 Consumption phase -down schedule:  Different iated production  and consumption 
phase down schedules were established for 4 different groups of Parties.3 Singapor e 
belo ngs to Article 5 Group 1 whose phase -down schedule f or HFC consumption is illustrated 
in Fig. 1 below . The phase -down of HFC consumptio n in accordance with the schedule will 
                                                           
1 Consumption in Singapore’s context is computed based on “Total Import Quantity minus Total Export 
Quantity”.  
2 Ratification in this context is broadly used to represent instruments of ratification, acceptance or approval  of 
the Amendment deposited by States or regional economic integration organizations that are  
Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer.  
3 As there is no HFC production in Singapore, the production phase -down schedule will not apply to Singapore.  2 only apply when Singapore ratifies  the Kigali Amendment as  a Party and after Kigali 
Amendment has entered into force.  
 
 
Fig.1 : HFC Consumption Phase Down Schedule for Singapore  
7 National consumption baseline level:  Referring to Fig. 1, the phase -down schedule 
will start in 2024 with a freeze at 100% of the national consumption baseline level. 
Singapore’s consumption baseline level for HFC s is calculated in terms of carbon dioxide 
equivalent (CO 2-equivalent) based on  2 components, namely (i)  Average HFC consumption 
in Year s 2020  to 2022 and (ii) 65% of HCFC baseline  that has been established earlier.   
8 Other obligations : Parties to the Kigali Amendment are required to establish and 
implement a domestic licensing sys tem for import and export of new, used, recycled and  
reclaimed controlled HFC s. There is also a trade control provision (known as a trade ban) 
where Parties to the Amendment shall not trade the controlled substa nces with non -Parties , 
once the trade ban ent ers into force . The trade ban will enter into force earliest  on 1 Jan 
2033 , provided that there are 70 instr uments of ratification to the Amendment . In the event 
this condition is not fulfilled by 1 Jan 2033, the trade ban will enter into force on the 90th 
day following the date on which it has been fulfilled.  3 Proposed Regulatory Control  
9 To prepare Singapore for the ratification to the Kigali Ame ndment  and to meet  the 
related provisions, NEA proposes to include the 18 types of HFCs as Hazardous Substanc es 
in the Second Schedule of EPMA for licensing controls.  
10 Companies that are importing and exporting the listed HFC s will be required to 
obtain a Hazardous Substance licence from NEA (Pollution Control Department) and comply 
with the stipulated licensi ng conditions.  
11 NEA plans to gazette the control of HFC s under EPMA by 1 Jun e 2018. A 6 -month 
preparation period will be given to companies for new licence applications and inclusion of 
HFC in their existing licence s. The licensing regime for HFC is exp ected to commence on 1 
January  2019 . A circular will be issued to the traders and published on NEA website at a 
later date once the details are firmed up.  
 Annex A  
4 Information on Hydrofluorocarbons (HFC)  
(A) Hydrofluorocarbons that will be listed in Second Sched ule of EPMA  
Trade Name  Chemical Name  Chemical Formula  CAS No.  
HFC-134 1,1,2,2 -Tetrafluoroethane  CHF 2CHF 2 359-35-3 
HFC-134a  1,1,1,2 -Tetrafluoroethane  CH 2FCF 3 811-97-2 
HFC-143 1,1,2 -Trifluoroethane  CH 2FCHF 2 430-66-0 
HFC-245fa  1,1,1,3,3 -Pentafluoropropan e CHF 2CH 2CF3 460-73-1 
HFC-365mfc  1,1,1,3,3 -Pentafluorobutane  CF3CH 2CF2CH 3 406-58-6 
HFC-227ea  1,1,1,2,3,3,3 -Heptafluoropropane  CF3CHFCF 3 431-89-0 
HFC-236cb  1,1,1,2,2,3 -Hexafluoropropane  CH 2FCF 2CF3 667-56-5 
HFC-236ea  1,1,1,2,3,3 -Hexafluoropropane  CHF 2CHFCF3 431-63-0 
HFC-236fa  1,1,1,3,3,3 -Hexafluoropropane  CF3CH 2CF3 690-39-1 
HFC-245ca  1,1,2,2,3 -pentafluoropropane  CH 2FCF 2CHF 2 679-86-7 
HFC-43-
10mee  1,1,1,2,2,3,4,5,5,5 -
decafluoropentane  CF3CHFCHFCF 2CF3 138495 -42-8 
HFC-32 Difluoromethane  CH 2F2 75-10-5 
HFC-125 Pentafluoroethane  CHF 2CF3 354-33-6 
HFC-143a  1,1,1 -Trifluoroethane  CH 3CF3 420-46-2 
HFC-41 Fluoromethane  
(Methyl Fluoride)  CH 3F 593-53-3 
HFC-152 1,2-Difluoroethane  CH 2FCH 2F 624-72-6 
HFC-152a  1,1-Difluoroethane  CH 3CHF 2 75-37-6 
HFC-23 Trifluorometha ne CHF 3 75-46-7 
 
(B) Common Blends/ Mixtures that contain one or more of the above listed HFC  
(Please note that the list is not exhaustive)   
R-401A  R-407F  R-438A  R-452A  
R-404A  R-410A  R-444B  R-507A  
R-407A  R-417A  R-446A  R-508B  
R-407C  R-422A  R-449A  R-513A