Singapore refrigerant rules: EPMA, NEA, GWP limits, registration and recovery
Singapore's GWP limits under the EPMA and NEA rules for AC, fridges, chillers, commercial refrigeration and car AC, plus registration and records.
Key points
- Singapore is not part of the EU, and the EU F-gas Regulation does not apply. The rules are in the Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 (EPMA), Part 10A Division 2, with regulations from 2022. The competent authority is the National Environment Agency (NEA) [1][2].
- Since 1 October 2022, household split air conditioners up to 17.6 kW may use refrigerants with a GWP of at most 750, household fridges and freezers up to 900 litres at most GWP 15, and water-cooled chillers from 1,055 kW at most GWP 15 [2].
- From 1 July 2027, centralised commercial refrigeration systems (multipack and semi-plug-in with a water loop) are limited to GWP 150. Standalone condensing units are not covered [2].
- From 1 July 2028, car air conditioning is limited to GWP 150 [2].
- Registration as a GHG entity, recovery of refrigerants with a GWP above 15 and record keeping have applied to chillers since 1 October 2022, and apply to commercial refrigeration, industrial cold rooms and car AC from 1 July 2027. Fines can reach SGD 10,000 [1][2].
Legal framework: national law, not EU law
Singapore has its own rules for refrigerants. The EU F-gas Regulation (EU) 2024/573, its leak check intervals in tonnes CO2e, its certificates and its bans do not apply in Singapore. The legal basis is the Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 (EPMA), Part 10A Division 2, together with the regulations made under it in 2022 [1][2]. The National Environment Agency (NEA) is the competent authority. It sets out the requirements, explains them on its website and enforces them [2].
Singapore has ratified the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which phases down HFCs. The national rules described here are Singapore's own way of cutting the use of refrigerants with a high GWP. They work in two ways: limits on the GWP of the refrigerant in new equipment, and duties for those who own and service certain types of systems [1][2].
GWP limits for new equipment
The limits apply to the refrigerant in the equipment covered. Each limit has its own scope, defined by type of equipment and size, and its own start date [2]:
| Equipment | Scope | Max GWP | Applies from |
|---|---|---|---|
| Household split air conditioners | up to 17.6 kW | 750 | 1 October 2022 |
| Household fridges and freezers | up to 900 litres | 15 | 1 October 2022 |
| Water-cooled chillers | from 1,055 kW | 15 | 1 October 2022 |
| Centralised commercial refrigeration | multipack and semi-plug-in with water loop | 150 | 1 July 2027 |
| Car air conditioning | motor vehicles | 150 | 1 July 2028 |
For orientation, 17.6 kW is about 5 refrigeration tons (TR) and 1,055 kW about 300 TR. Read the scope carefully: a split unit above 17.6 kW, a fridge above 900 litres or a chiller below 1,055 kW falls outside the respective limit in the table [2].
A GWP limit of 15 is very low. In practice it rules out refrigerants with a GWP in the hundreds or thousands for the products concerned. Always check the GWP value of the refrigerant you plan to use against the limit before you choose equipment, for example with the GWP calculator on this site.
Commercial refrigeration from 2027
From 1 July 2027 the limit of GWP 150 applies to centralised commercial refrigeration systems. NEA names two system types: multipack systems, where several compressors serve a common circuit, and semi-plug-in systems connected to a water loop. Standalone condensing units are not covered by this limit [2].
This matters for supermarkets and other shops that plan new plants or major rebuilds in the coming years. A centralised plant designed now and taken into service after 1 July 2027 must meet the limit. Plan the choice of refrigerant early, because a change of refrigerant later usually means new components and a new design [2].
Registration, recovery and records
Beside the GWP limits, the rules place duties on those who own and operate certain systems. They must register as a GHG entity with NEA, make sure that refrigerants with a GWP above 15 are recovered and not vented, and keep records [1][2]. The duties start at different dates depending on the sector [2]:
| Sector | Registration, recovery and records from |
|---|---|
| Chillers | 1 October 2022 |
| Commercial refrigeration | 1 July 2027 |
| Industrial cold rooms | 1 July 2027 |
| Car air conditioning | 1 July 2027 |
For the technician, this means that recovery equipment and recovery cylinders are needed on every job where refrigerant with a GWP above 15 is removed from a covered system. For the designer and the owner, it means that the records must be set up from the first day the system is in service. Ask NEA what the records must contain for your sector [2].
Penalties
Breaking the rules can lead to a fine of up to SGD 10,000 [1][2]. Check with NEA how the penalty applies in your case.
Practical checklist
- Work from the EPMA and the NEA requirements, not from the EU F-gas Regulation [1][2].
- Check the type and size of the equipment against the scope of each GWP limit [2].
- For centralised commercial refrigeration in service after 1 July 2027, choose a refrigerant with a GWP of at most 150 [2].
- Check whether the owner must register as a GHG entity, and from which date [1][2].
- Recover refrigerants with a GWP above 15 and keep records where the rules require it [2].