Singapore Singapore Issues Order on Exempted Uses of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328

Singapore POPs PFAS Chemical Substances (Products)
14 April 2025  EnviX_jet_jp  Wei Jie Woo (EnviX, Ltd.)
Singapore Issues Order on Exempted Uses of Dechlorane Plus and UV-328

On March 21, 2025, Singapore issued the Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 (Amendment of Second Schedule) (No. 3) Order 2025. This order, effective March 24, 2025, defines exempted uses for Dechlorane Plus and UV-328 under the Environmental Protection and Management Act. It establishes specific applications of these substances that are not subject to regulatory controls.

Exempted Uses for Dechlorane Plus:

  • Adhesives
  • Fillers
  • Medical devices
  • Plastics
  • Substances, preparations or products used in the aerospace sector
  • Substances, preparations or products used in the defence sector
  • Substances, preparations or products used in the space sector
  • Replacement parts for, or the repair of, any of the following articles that were originally manufactured using Dechlorane plus:
    1. articles used in the aerospace sector;
    2. articles used in the defence sector;
    3. articles used in the space sector;
    4. equipment used in the marine industry;
    5. equipment used for gardening or forestry;
    6. instruments for analysis, measurements, control, monitoring, testing, production or inspection;
    7. medical devices;
    8. motor vehicles;
    9. outdoor power equipment;
    10. stationary industrial machines used for agriculture, forestry or construction.

Exempted Uses for UV-328:

  • Adhesives
  • Fillers
  • Heavy‑duty coatings for large steel structures;
  • Industrial coatings for motor vehicles, engineering machines or rail transport vehicles;
  • Mechanical separators in blood collection tubes;
  • Medical devices;
  • Parts of motor vehicles;
  • Photographic paper;
  • Plastics;
  • Triacetyl cellulose (TAC) film in polarisers;
  • Replacement parts for any of the following articles that were originally manufactured using UV‑328:
    1. liquid crystal displays in instruments for analysis, measurements, control, monitoring, testing, production or inspection;
    2. medical devices;
    3. motor vehicles;
    4. stationary industrial machines used for agriculture, forestry or construction.

Note: The term “medical devices” follows the definition provided in Appendix 1 of the Health Products Act 2007.

Revision of General Exemptions (Appendix 2, Part 2):

The order also amends Appendix 2, Part 2 of the Environmental Protection and Management Act. This section previously established general exemptions for harmful substances regulated under Appendix 2, Part 1. Items containing Dechlorane Plus or UV-328 have now been excluded from these general exemptions, clarifying that they are subject to regulation.

Table: Comparison of Changes

Before Amendment After Amendment
Building materials (excluding asbestos) Builders’ materials other than those containing asbestos, Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Explosives Explosives other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Fireworks Fireworks other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Glazes other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds Glazes other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds, Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Ink Inks other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Lacquer solvents Lacquer solvents other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Lubricants other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: polychlorinated naphthalenes, or short‑chain chlorinated paraffins Lubricants other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: polychlorinated naphthalenes, short‑chain chlorinated paraffins, Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Lubricants (excluding regulated harmful substances) Lubricants (excluding regulated harmful substances or Dechlorane Plus or UV-328)
Paints other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: asbestos, lead compounds, mercury compounds, Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds, polychlorinated naphthalenes, or short‑chain chlorinated paraffins Paints other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: asbestos, lead compounds, mercury compounds, Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds, polychlorinated naphthalenes, short‑chain chlorinated paraffins, Dechlorane plus or UV‑328;
Pharmaceutical aerosols Pharmaceutical aerosols other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Photographic paper Photographic paper other than those containing Dechlorane plus
Rubber Rubber other than those containing Dechlorane plus or UV‑328
Varnishes other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds, or Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds Varnishes other than those containing any of the following substances as defined in Part I of this Schedule: Pentadecafluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and its salts and related compounds, Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS) and its salts and related compounds, Dechlorane plus or UV‑328

Amendment to Hazardous Substances Regulations

On the same day, Singapore issued the Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) (Amendment No. 2) Regulations 2025. Effective March 24, 2025, this regulation revises provisions for the storage and use of hazardous substances as follows:

Before Amendment After Amendment
(2) A person shall be authorised to store hazardous substances where he is issued with a permit to store and use such hazardous substances or where he is in possession of a licence granted under section 22 of the Act to deal in hazardous substances. (2) A person is authorised to store any hazardous substance if —

(a) the person is issued with a permit to store and use the hazardous substance;

(b) the person is in possession of a licence granted under section 22 of the Act to deal in the hazardous substance; or

(c) the hazardous substance falls within any exclusion specified in the second column of Part I of the Second Schedule to the Act corresponding to that substance or is contained in any substance, preparation or product specified in Part II of that Schedule.

EnviX Comment

Singapore has progressed steadily in regulating Dechlorane Plus and UV-328:

  • May 31, 2022: Inclusion in regulatory scope.
  • May 6, 2024: Notification of delayed implementation.
  • November 12, 2024: Notification of exempted uses.

This order formalizes the exemptions notified in November 2024, with minimal deviations. However, the amendments to Appendix 2, Part 2 were newly introduced through this order, further clarifying regulated products.

Reference URLs:

Author / Responsibility

Wei Jie Woo
EnviX_jet_jp