Singapore to tighten rules on refrigerants used in supermarkets, vehicles
The new measures will apply only to new equipment.
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SINGAPORE: The National Environment Agency (NEA) said on Thursday (May 28) it will introduce further measures starting Jul 1, 2027, to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment.
The new measures, which target large commercial refrigeration, transport refrigeration, and air-conditioning for passenger cars and light goods vehicles, are part of Singapore’s climate goals of reducing emissions by 2030 and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
“From July 2027, new refrigeration systems typically used in supermarkets must use more environmentally friendly refrigerants with Global Warming Potential (GWP) not exceeding 150,” said NEA in a news release.
GWP is a measure of the warming effect of a gas relative to the warming effect of an equivalent mass of carbon dioxide, usually over a 100-year time horizon.
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“From July 2028, air-conditioning in new passenger cars and light goods vehicles must also comply with these requirements,” said NEA. “This later start date gives vehicle suppliers more time to adjust, as some models using lower-GWP refrigerants are not yet widely available.”
It added that the new GWP limits are aligned with standards already adopted in markets such as the European Union and Japan, where low-GWP alternatives are available.
To minimise business disruption, NEA said these limits will apply only to new equipment and that businesses can continue using existing systems until they reach the end of their service life.
“Some of these measures build on existing industry practices. For example, key supermarket operators in Singapore are already using refrigeration systems with lower-GWP refrigerants,” said NEA. “Suppliers and manufacturers are supporting the transition to lower-GWP refrigerants and offering lower-GWP refrigeration systems that are energy efficient.”
Also from July 2027, companies that dismantle centralised commercial refrigeration systems typically used in supermarkets, centralised industrial refrigeration systems for cold rooms, air-conditioning for passenger cars and light goods vehicles, and refrigerated trucks must register with NEA and follow proper disposal procedures for spent refrigerant.
NEA noted that the requirements formalise practices already adopted by many companies, and that there are service providers in Singapore to carry out such recovery work.
Many air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment use hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases as refrigerants.
These greenhouse gases contribute significantly to global warming, which can be hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.
In 2022, NEA introduced GWP limits for household air-conditioners, refrigerators and water-cooled chillers used for large building cooling systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment sector.
NEA on Thursday said the latest measures, which will cover centralised commercial refrigeration systems and vehicle air-conditioning, have been developed in consultation with suppliers, users and recycling companies.
“The transition away from HFCs is part of a global effort to address climate change, and NEA will continue to review its measures to support this transition, taking into account industry readiness and availability of low-GWP alternatives,” it said.
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