PHASING OUT OF FIRE-FIGHTING FOAMS CONTAINING PER- AND POLYFLUOROALKYL SUBSTANCES (PFAS) CHEMICALS LISTED UNDER THE STOCKHOLM CONVENTION
Singapore is a Party to the Stockholm Convention, which aims to eliminate and/or restrict production and use of Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs). Three Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) chemicals are listed in the Stockholm Convention, with time-limited exemptions for usage in fire-fighting foams for Perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and related compounds and Perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), its salts and related compounds. The exemptions under the Stockholm Convention will expire in Dec 2025. There is no exemption under the Stockholm
Convention for usage of Perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts and related compounds in fire-fighting foams.
2 Therefore, with effect from 1 Jan 2026, Singapore will phase out the import and use of firefighting foams containing PFOA and PFOS, including their salts and related compounds.
Companies are allowed to continue using their fire-fighting foams after 1 Jan 2026 if the concentrations of the trace contaminants within the foams are below the respective threshold limits as shown.
(a) PFOA, its salts and related compounds: 25 ppb
(b) PFOS, its salts and related compounds: 10,000 ppb
(c) PFHxS, its salts and related compounds: 100 ppb
3 Companies storing or using fire-fighting foams containing PFOA, PFOS, PFHxS, their salts and related compounds at or above their respective threshold concentrations are required to engage NEA licensed Toxic Industrial Waste Collectors (TIWCs) that are capable of collecting and disposing of such fire-fighting foams.
Harmonized System (“HS”) and Product Codes
4 The list of HS and Product Codes of the affected materials are listed in ANNEX A.
With effect from 1 Jan 2026, traders are required to use the appropriate HS and Product Codes when declaring their import and export in TradeNet® permit applications. All such TradeNet® permit applications will be subject to Chemical Control and Management Department (CCMD)’s processing and approval.
5 For further enquiries, you may email them to Ms Nikki Lee at <Nikki_Lee@nea.gov.sg>.
