1.

Notifying Member: SINGAPORE

If applicable, name of local government involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):

2.

Agency responsible:

National Environment Agency (NEA)

Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above:

Ms Quek Jin Jin / Ms Nikki Lee

Executive Engineer / Senior Engineer

Chemical Control and Management Department, Pollution Control 1 Division

40 Scotts Road, Environment Building, #17-00

Singapore 228231

Email: quek_jin_jin@nea.gov.sg / nikki_lee@nea.gov.sg

3.

Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], 3.2 [ ], 7.2 [ ], other:

4.

Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):

5.

Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document: ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT ACT 1999 (CHAPTER 94A)

Environmental Protection and Management Act 1999 (Amendment of Second Schedule) (No. 4) Order 2025 and Environmental Protection and Management (Hazardous Substances) (Amendment No. 3) Regulations 2025

6.

Description of content: Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA) is proposing to regulate Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat and Paraquat salts at all concentrations and in all preparation forms as Hazardous Substances under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA) and/or EPM (Hazardous Substances) Regulations (EPM (HS) Regulations) by including the chemicals listed in Section 4 of this notification under the Second Schedule for the EPMA and the Schedule for the EPM (HS) Regulations.

The proposed regulation will enter into force on the same date as the effective date of the relevant recommendation of the Rotterdam Convention, which is planned to take effect in October 2025. Once the regulations take effect, importers, manufacturers, distributors and users of these chemicals and of products containing these chemicals will be required to apply for a HS Licence / Permit for their import, export, sale, manufacturer, transport, storage and/or use.

7.

Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where applicable: The Chemical Review Committee (CRC) of the Rotterdam Convention (RC) has assessed that (i) Chlorpyrifos, and (ii) Paraquat and Paraquat salts met the criteria for listing in Annex III to the RC under the pesticide category, where their transboundary movement should be subject to the Prior Informed Consent (PIC) procedure. The CRC has recommended that Parties consider controlling these chemicals at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the RC on 28 April to 9 May 2025.

The Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) of the Stockholm Convention (SC) has also determined Chlorpyrifos to be a persistent organic pollutant that is very toxic to aquatic invertebrates in the environment and can potentially cause adverse effects in mammals. Accordingly, the POPRC has recommended that Parties consider listing Chlorpyrifos in the SC's Annex A for the elimination of its production and use, with specific exemptions for certain pest and crop control applications, at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the SC on 28 April to 9 May 2025.

The licensing of the Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat and Paraquat salts at all concentrations and in all preparation forms is put in place in preparation for Singapore's obligation to the Rotterdam Convention and Stockholm Convention when Chlorpyrifos, Paraquat and Paraquat salts are included in the Annexes of the Conventions.

In view of the environmental and health impacts of these chemicals, the licensing control will allow the NEA to manage the health and environmental risks from the use of these chemicals as well as enable Singapore's eventual fulfilment of its obligations to the Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) when the chemicals are listed for control under the Conventions as it allows NEA to a) monitor the import/export, purchase/sale, use, transportation and storage of the chemicals and the extent of use in Singapore; and b) timely eliminate/restrict usage of the chemicals locally or impose Prior Informed Consent (PIC) requirements when the chemicals are formally listed for control under SC or RC respectively.; Protection of human health or safety; Protection of animal or plant life or health

8.

Relevant documents:

Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA), 164 pages, in English (Available online at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/) and EPM (Hazardous Substances) Regulations, 26 pages, in English (available online at http://statutes.agc.gov.sg/)

9.

Proposed date of adoption: Notice will be published in the Republic of Singapore's Government Gazette in June 2025 (planned) when adopted.

Proposed date of entry into force: Planned for October 2025. Notice will be published prior to the date of entry into force.

10.

Final date for comments: 60 days from notification

11.

Texts available from: National enquiry point [ ] or address, telephone and fax numbers and email and website addresses, if available, of other body:

Ms Quek Jin Jin / Ms Nikki Lee

Executive Engineer / Senior Engineer

Chemical Control and Management Department, Pollution Control 1 Division

40 Scotts Road, Environment Building, #17-00

Singapore 228231

Email: quek_jin_jin@nea.gov.sg / nikki_lee@nea.gov.sg