The NEA of Singapore published circular NEA/HS/6.6 to strengthen mercury restrictions in batteries and button cells.

SAFEGUARDS | Electrical & Electronics NO. 018/18

On January 3, 2018, the National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore published circular NEA/HS/6.6 [1] to update the mercury restrictions in batteries and button cells under Part 1 of the Second Schedule to the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA, Chapter 94A [2]).

The circular contains many important requirements, including the following:

  • Strengthening the restriction of mercury in batteries and button cells as shown in 1.

Table1. Comparison of restrictions for mercury in batteries

Current Control
 Circular NEA/HS/6.6
Requirement
  • Mercury oxide batteries
  • > 0.001% mercury/cell (zinc carbon batteries)
  • > 0.025% mercury/cell (alkaline batteries,,except button cells)
All batteries including button cells containing more than 0.0005% mercury/cell are not allowed
Effective Date
 In force March 31, 2018
  • Allowing compliant mercury-containing batteries that were imported before March 31, 2018, to remain on the market until stocks are exhausted
  • Requiring importers/traders of stand-alone batteries to submit a one-off declaration of compliance (DOC), with supporting documents, to demonstrate compliance with the new requirements
  • Requiring importers/traders of batteries that are bundled with products to submit a DOC and supporting documents upon request by NEA
  • Requiring traders to declare the import and export TradeNet permit applications using appropriate Harmonized System (HS) and product codes. The HS and product codes are now expanded to include manganese dioxide batteries, silver oxide batteries and air zinc batteries. The newly added HS code controlled by NEA-PCD with effect from March 31, 2018 is shown in Table 2. The whole list of the HS and product codes can be found in circular NEA/HS/6.6 [3].

The circular will become effective on March 31, 2018.

Table 2. List of additional HS and product codes

Product Category HS Code HS Description Product Code Product Code Description
Manganese dioxide batteries 85061010 Primary cells & batteries of manganese dioxide of external volume not over 300 cubic cm PCDABM211 Manganese Dioxide Batteries - (> 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume not exceeding 300 cm3
PCDABM311 Manganese Dioxide Batteries - (<= than 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume not exceeding 300 cm3- With declaration of compliance and supporting document
Manganese dioxide batteries 85061090 Primary cells & batteries of manganese dioxide of external volume over 300 cubic cm PCDABM211 Manganese Dioxide Batteries - (> 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume exceeding 300 cm3
PCDABM311 Manganese Dioxide Batteries - (<= than 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume exceeding 300 cm3- With declaration of compliance and supporting document
Silver oxide batteries 85064000 Primary cells & batteries of silver oxide PCDZSO211 Silver Oxide Batteries - (> than 0.0005% of mercury)
PCDZSO311 Silver Oxide Batteries - (<= than 0.0005% of mercury) - With declaration of compliance and supporting document
Air zinc batteries 85066010 Primary cells & batteries of air zinc of external volume not over 300 cubic cm PCDAZM211 Air Zinc Batteries - (> 0.0005% of mercury)-Having an external volume not exceeding 300 cm3
PCDAZM311 Air Zinc Batteries - (<= 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume not exceeding 300 cm3- With declaration of compliance and supporting document
Air zinc batteries 85066090 Primary cells & batteries of air zinc of external volume over 300 cubic cm PCDAZM211 Air Zinc Batteries - (> 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume exceeding 300 cm3
PCDAZM311 Air Zinc Batteries - (<= 0.0005% of mercury) - Having an external volume exceeding 300 cm3- With declaration of compliance and supporting document

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SGS SA published this content on 13 February 2018 and is solely responsible for the information contained herein.
Distributed by Public, unedited and unaltered, on 13 February 2018 06:20:01 UTC.

Original documenthttp://www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/02/safeguards-01818-singapore-strengthens-mercury-restrictions-in-batteries

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