G/TBT/N/SGP/34  
 
24 April 2017  
(17-2211) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6  
 
1. Notifying Member : SINGAPORE   
If applicable, name of local government involved  (Article 3.2 and 7.2) :  
2. Agency responsible:  National Environment Agency (NEA)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers , email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification  shall be indicated if different from above :  
Ms Stefanie Koh  
Scientific Office r, Pollution Control Department  
40 Scotts Road, #12 -00 Environment Building  
Singapore 228231  
Tel.: (65) 6708 -6140 (DID)  
Fax: (65) 6836 -2294 
Email: stefanie_koh@nea.gov.sg  
Ms Lim Kai Yun  
Scientific Officer, Pol lution Control Department  
40 Scotts Road, #12 -00 Environment Building  
Singapore 228231  
Tel.: (65) 6708 -6132 (DID)  
Fax: (65) 6836 -2294 
Email: lim_kai_yun@nea.gov.sg  
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [  ], 5.6.2 [  ], 5.7.1 [  ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Mercury -added 
products listed under Section 6, examples include: 1) Fluoresc ent Lamps  
• HS – 85393110: Tube for compact fluorescent hot cathode lamps excluding ultraviolet  
lamps • HS – 85393190: Other discharge fluorescent hot cathode lamps excluding 
ultraviolet lamps 2)  High Pressure Mercury Vapour Lamps • HS – 85393200: Mercur y or 
sodium vapour lamps; metal halide lamps 3) Cold Cathode Fluorescent Lamps and External 
Electrode Fluorescent Lamps used in electronic displays • HS – 85393930: Other 
fluorescent cold cathode types • HS – 85287292: Colour television receivers, LCD, LED  or 
flat panel display type not battery operated • HS – 85286110: Flat panel display projector 
type solely used in automatic data processing system of heading 8471. 4) Non -electronic 
measuring devices • HS – 90251100: Liquid -filled thermometers for direct readings  
• HS – 90258030: Hydrometers, barometers, hygrometers, psychrometers  
and any combination of these instruments not electrically operated. • HS – 90189090: 
Non-electronic medical, surgical or veterinary instruments and appliances • HS – 
90262040: Other instruments and apparatus for measuring or checking pressure not 
electrically operated. 5) Switches and Relays • HS – 84762XXX: Automatic beverage 
vending machines with heating or refrigerating devices; Automatic beverage vending 
machines with no hea ting or refrigerating devices • HS – 84768XXX: Other goods vending 
machine incorporating heating or refrigerating devices; Other goods vending machine with 
no heating or refrigerating devices • HS – 84769000: Parts of automatic goods vending G/TBT/N/SGP/34  
 
- 2 - 
 
  machines • HS – 84501XXX: Fully automated washing machines each of dry linen capacity 
not over 6kg; Fully automatic washing machines each of dry linen capacity over 6kg but 
not over 10kg; Other fully automatic washing machines each of dry linen capacity not over 
10kg wi th built in centrifugal drier • HS – 84501910: Other washing machines not fully 
automatic each of dry linen capacity not over 10kg electrically operated • HS – 84502000: 
Washing machines of dry linen capacity exceeding 10kg • HS – 870830XX: Brakes & Servo 
brakes & parts thereof for vehicles of heading 8701; Brakes & Servo brakes & parts 
thereof for vehicles of heading 8703; Brake drums, brake discs or brake pipes for vehicles 
of heading 8702 or 8704. • (HS: 8476, 84501, 85393, 845020, 901890, 902511, 902580 , 
902620).  
5. Title, number of pages  and language(s)  of the notified document:   
1. Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), 103 pages, in English -
 available online at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/  
2. Propose d Control of Certain Mercury -added Products in Singapore, (see 
attachment)  (4 pages, in English)    
6. Description of content:  NEA is proposing to control certain mercury -added products 
under the Second Schedule of the Environmental Protection and Manageme nt Act (EPMA). 
Under the proposed control, the manufacture, import and export of the following mercury -
added products will be phased -out by 1 January 2020.  
Mercury -added products  Proposed control measure – the manufacture, 
import and export of the 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*  
 Sphygmomanometers  The liste d non -electronic measuring devices, except  
non-electronic measuring devices installed in large -
scale equipment or those used for high precision 
measurement, where no suitable mercury -free 
alternative is available.  
Switches and relays  
- Switches and rel ays, except  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.  
* Compact fluorescen t 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 Conventio n are already 
controlled by NEA.  G/TBT/N/SGP/34  
 
- 3 - 
 
  7. Objective and rationale , including the nature of urgent problems where applicable:  
Objective: Reduce mercury pollution by minimising mercury supply and demand so as to 
protect the environment. In this case, minimising the use of mercury in products.  
Rationale: The Minamata Convention on Mercury is a global treaty that aims to “protect 
the human health and the environment from anthropogenic emissions and releases of 
mercury and mercury compounds”. Singapore signed the Mi namata Convention on 10 
October 2013 which indicated the country’s commitment to safeguard against mercury 
pollution.  
Singapore has been taking steps to develop strategies to implement the Convention as 
Singapore plan towards ratifying the Convention. Thes e obligations include the phase -out 
of mercury -added products such as fluorescent lamps with specific mercury limits, high 
pressure mercury vapour lamps and non -electronic measuring devices by 2020.  
8. Relevant documents:   
1. Environmental Protection and Man agement Act (EPMA), 103 pages, in English  and 
available online at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/  
2. Proposed Control of Certain Mercury -added Products in Singapore, 4 pages, in 
English (see attachment)   
9. Proposed date of adoption: Notice will be published in the Republic of Singapore’s 
Government Gazette when adopted   
Proposed date of entry into force: Notice will be published prior to the date of entry 
into force    
10. Final date for comments:  60 days from the date of notification  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point  [ ] or address, telephone and fax 
number s and e mail and website address es, if available , of other body:   
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/SGP/17_1977_00_e.pdf