Singapore: Updated regulatory requirements for paints and varnishes

 

Singapore has amended its Environmental Protection and Management Act (Amendment of Second Schedule) Order 2024, introducing regulatory changes for paints and varnishes.

Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) is proposing to regulate formaldehyde in paints as a hazardous substance under the Environmental Protection and Management Act. Once the regulations take effect:

• The import, manufacture, and/or sale of interior paints containing equal to or more than 0.01% weight in weight of formaldehyde will be prohibited in Singapore, unless such interior paints are imported or manufactured for export or re-export purposes. In such cases, companies will be required to apply for a Hazardous Substances (HS) licence from NEA.

• The import, manufacture, and/or sale of paints for outdoor or industrial use, containing equal to or more than 0.01% weight in weight of formaldehyde will be required to comply with the relevant labelling requirements. The labelling requirements would not apply to paints which are imported or manufactured for export or re-export purposes.

Accordingly, importers and manufacturers of interior paints would have to submit test reports to NEA, upon request, substantiating that the measured total in-can formaldehyde content in each interior paint product is less than 0.01% weight in weight. Such test reports would have to be prepared by accredited laboratories, such as those accredited by accreditation bodies which are signatories to the International Laboratory Accreditation Cooperation Mutual Recognition Arrangement (ILAC MRA).

Formaldehyde is a chemical which is used extensively as a preservative in building products. It has been classified by the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a Class 1 carcinogen, and prolonged exposure to formaldehyde may cause adverse health effects such as respiratory discomfort and an increased risk of certain cancers. To better safeguard public health, NEA is therefore proposing to control formaldehyde content in paints.

To find out more about product compliance for paints and varnishes, please contact the Product Compliance Institute directly.