Singapore sets limits to cut emissions of commercial refrigeration systems, vehicle air‑cons
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From July 2028, the same global warming potential limits will apply to air-conditioning in new passenger cars and light goods vehicles.
ST PHOTO: KUA CHEE SIONG
- Singapore extends greenhouse gas emission limits to commercial refrigeration and some vehicles.
- The NEA aims to reduce potent hydrofluorocarbon emissions, aligning with global efforts to achieve climate goals.
- More time is given for new passenger cars and light good vehicles to comply.
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SINGAPORE – Emission limits for air-conditioning and refrigeration equipment in Singapore will be extended to large commercial refrigeration systems and vehicle air-conditioning over the next two years.
In a statement on May 28, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said the ban on new refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment for these systems with high greenhouse gas emissions will help the Republic reach its climate goals on such emissions by 2030.
Refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment traditionally cool the air using hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) gases, which can be hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide in contributing to global warming.
From July 2027, new centralised commercial fridges, typically used in supermarkets, must use more environmentally friendly refrigerants capped at a global warming potential (GWP) of 150, aligning with standards in Europe and Japan.
This means that over a century, these systems can contribute to global warming at a rate of only up to 150 times higher than carbon dioxide.
From July 2028, the same GWP limits will apply to air-conditioning in new passenger cars and light goods vehicles.
Said NEA: “This later start date gives vehicle suppliers more time to adjust, as some models using lower-GWP refrigerants are not yet widely available. The GWP limits are aligned with standards already adopted in markets such as the EU and Japan, where low-GWP alternatives are available.”
The decision was made following feedback from some authorised motor dealers that manufacturers would need more time to develop and supply compliant models to Singapore.
The new measures follow the agency’s introduction of GWP limits in 2022 for household air-conditioners, refrigerators and water-cooled chillers used for large building cooling systems.
The agency said the limits apply only to new equipment, to minimise disruption to businesses, which will be allowed to continue using existing systems until they reach the end of their service life.
Those that do not comply with these measures can be fined up to $10,000. Additionally, from July 2027, more companies that dismantle refrigeration and air-conditioning equipment will be required to register with NEA and follow formalised practices for disposal.
These are firms that deal with centralised commercial refrigeration systems typically used in supermarkets, centralised industrial refrigeration systems for cold rooms, air-conditioning for passenger cars and light goods vehicles, and refrigerated trucks.
Those that do not follow proper disposal procedures can be fined a maximum of $10,000, face imprisonment of up to three months, or both.
An NEA spokesperson told The Straits Times that the latest measures were developed in consultation with more than 900 firms, including key suppliers and refrigerant reclamation companies.
The public was also consulted through government feedback unit REACH’s public consultation portal in September 2025.
Some proposed measures were dropped after these consultations, said the NEA spokesperson. These included a proposed GWP limit for standalone commercial refrigerators, which has been shelved for now because of industry-readiness and cost considerations. NEA said it will continue to monitor market conditions and may revisit this proposal in the future.
Said the agency: “The transition away from HFCs is part of a global effort to address climate change, and NEA will continue to review its measures to support this transition, taking into account industry readiness and availability of low-GWP alternatives.”
A UN Environment Programme report released in November 2025 showed that emissions from the rapidly growing demand for cooling could more than triple by 2050, resulting in more extreme heat events.
Singapore was among the world’s cities that pledged on the sidelines of the COP30 UN climate summit in Brazil in November 2025 to do more to curb unsustainable cooling practices that are fuelling rising temperatures across the globe.
