Complaints Leading to Ban on Formaldehyde in Paints for Interior of Buildings and Proposal for Similar Ban on Paints for Furniture

Mr Edward Chia Bing Hui asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what measures are in place to ensure that imported wooden furniture that have been chemically treated and contain formaldehyde are safe for indoor use; and (b) whether the Ministry will consider implementing stricter import regulations or mandatory testing measures on imported wooden furniture to protect consumers from potential health hazards.

Mr Melvin Yong Yik Chye asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) in the past five years, how many complaints has NEA received regarding high levels of formaldehyde in new furniture; and (b) whether NEA will consider regulating formaldehyde as a hazardous substance under the Environmental Protection and Management Act given that exposure to high levels of formaldehyde can lead to cancer.

Miss Cheryl Chan Wei Ling asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) whether the Ministry conducts checks on companies selling building products to ensure that the products offered do not contain or emit formaldehyde; (b) whether the Ministry will consider requiring renovation contractors to show proof that indoor formaldehyde concentration levels are within limit when renovations are completed; and (c) what support can be given to owners of non-air-conditioned places such as residential homes to ensure that the concentration level of unwanted chemicals in the vicinity are within safe limits.

Dr Wan Rizal asked the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment (a) what steps are being taken to address health concerns related to formaldehyde emissions from wooden furniture in homes; (b) how is the Ministry monitoring and regulating the levels of formaldehyde in residential environments to ensure that they are within safe limits; and (c) whether there are plans to review and update existing regulations on indoor air quality and furniture safety standards to better protect public health.

Sir, my Ministry has been monitoring the issue of formaldehyde levels in indoor premises. Since 2020, the National Environment Agency (NEA) has received 19 feedback cases on formaldehyde levels arising from renovation works.

We announced at the Committee of Supply 2024 that we will introduce regulations on formaldehyde in interior paints. From 1 January 2026, interior paints with formaldehyde will not be allowed for sale in Singapore. "Formaldehyde in Paint" will be regulated as a hazardous substance under the Environmental Protection and Management Act (EPMA). Companies found importing, manufacturing, possessing for the purpose of selling or offering for sale in Singapore, interior paints with formaldehyde levels equal to or exceeding 0.01% weight in weight, are, upon conviction, liable to a fine of up to $50,000 or imprisonment for a term up to two years or both. NEA will carry out market surveillance and take appropriate enforcement action.

This implementation timeline strikes a balance between safeguarding public health and giving the industry sufficient time to adapt to the new requirements based on its feedback. In the meantime, interior paints with no added formaldehyde are already available in the Singapore market.

We recognise that apart from interior paints, there are products such as composite wood products and adhesives which may emit formaldehyde. NEA is actively studying this issue, including the review of international best practices, guidelines and regulatory requirements.

The furniture industry has made an effort to lower formaldehyde emissions. The Alliance for Action on Sustainable Spaces, jointly formed by the Singapore Business Federation, Singapore Furniture Industries Council (SFIC) and Singapore Green Building Council (SGBC) developed and launched a set of industry guidelines and recommendations to improve indoor air quality last year. Among other things, these guidelines recommend formaldehyde emission limits for products and furnishing used indoors.

We encourage the public to use products that are certified with the Singapore Green Labelling Scheme (SGLS) administered by the Singapore Environment Council, or the Singapore Green Building Product (SGBP) Certification Scheme administered by the SGBC. For wood products bearing these green labels, the formaldehyde levels are certified to be low or non-detectable, while interior paints certified with these labels are required to have no formaldehyde. The SFIC’s website also lists its member companies that have pledged to supply or adopt low or no formaldehyde products and solutions.

If products containing formaldehyde are installed in indoor spaces, occupants are advised to improve ventilation and promote air circulation by opening doors and windows where possible, as well as utilising fans and ventilation systems, which can help dilute the concentration of formaldehyde in those areas.

Thank you, Speaker. I would like to ask the Senior Parliamentary Secretary two supplementary questions. He mentioned that NEA is conducting a review of formaldehyde treatments on wooden furniture. I just want to ask what is the timeline and what are the considerations, considering the fact that there is legitimate public safety concerns regarding formaldehyde in wooden furniture. So, timeline and the considerations of the review.

Second, in terms of public awareness, the Senior Parliamentary Secretary mentioned that there is accreditation by the Singapore Environment Council. How is NEA going to create more public awareness among residents who appoint small renovation contractors, how would they be able to know what are the products being used by renovation contractors?

Sir, as mentioned, we are reviewing what is being done in overseas jurisdictions. We are taking reference from them, learning from them to see how we can adopt these in Singapore. Like what we did for the formaldehyde controls in paints, we strike a balance between protecting public health as well as how the industry is able to adapt to the new requirements, because any changes may affect the industry and ultimately, consumers if they are not able to respond accordingly.

Sorry, what was the second supplementary question?

Yes, okay. We will work with the various industry associations, those in the renovation or furniture supply sectors, to raise awareness amongst consumers. But when the law is implemented for "formaldehyde in paints", for example, that will be a law that does not allow the sale of such products. I urge consumers and the public to do more research, do some homework, especially when they are concerned with such products used in their home furnishings.

I have got a supplementary question for the Senior Parliamentary Secretary. From now till when the official regulation is in place is still some time away. For home owners, they would not have a means to be able to detect formaldehyde levels because they would not know. As much as we want to raise public awareness, this is after all a chemical.

I just want to ask what recourse would these home owners or consumers have if they were being supplied this by the renovation contractors and are there other things that can be done more actively, because, today, all the actions that are taken are very reactive?

In the case of "formaldehyde in paints", there are already paint products available in the market that do not contain any formaldehyde. This would be something that consumers can easily check by looking at the details about the paint content. They should also question their renovation contractors or painters about what type of paint is being used. Based on the 19 feedback cases I mentioned earlier, a lot mainly dealt with cases of smell nuisance. When the home owners or in some cases employees in offices, they may find out and they will give the feedback, and usually, it is settled between themselves and the renovation companies.

In cases where people find the smell to be noticeable, the formaldehyde content will get diluted over time. So, it is quite common, like in newly renovated spaces, the smell would be more obvious, but with proper ventilation, the smell, which is also a proxy for the formaldehyde level within the product or paint, will get diluted to a level that will be more acceptable by the occupants of the premises. The advice is to ventilate and allow some time after renovation works are completed before the occupants move in on a permanent basis.

Sir, I thank the Senior Parliamentary Secretary for his answer. I declare I am the President of the Consumers Association of Singapore or CASE. Sir, in the first half of 2024 alone, CASE received 10 complaints regarding strong chemical odours emitted by new furniture, such as mattresses, sofas, wardrobes. Some consumers reported experiencing symptoms such as headache, dizziness and coughing after being exposed to what they suspect to be formaldehyde. I would like to ask would the Ministry consider regulating formaldehyde levels in furniture, in addition to, as the Senior Parliamentary Secretary said, for paints. Since that regulation has not come on board, can we include furniture as well in the regulations?

As what Miss Cheryl Chan had said, beyond what you can do after the furniture and renovation have been completed, I think what we can do is to go upstream and educate consumers on what are the furniture that have these levels of formaldehyde, so that they can make a considered decision on whether to purchase them or advise the contractors what they can use and what they should not use.

Sir, as mentioned in my reply, apart from paints, we are reviewing how the law could also apply to other products such as composite wood products and adhesives which also contain formaldehyde. Consumers or people undertaking renovation works should discuss with their contractors to demand that the products used meet these requirements. Also, if they are personally more concerned with such content, they should specify for products that do not contain formaldehyde.

There was a publicised case recently, which based on reports, we understand there was agreement in the end where the renovation company actually compensated the family to move out of their flat to give them a temporary accommodation. And in the end, there was some sort of court case or legal demand for them to dismantle and reinstate the affected furniture. So, these can be settled commercially. [Please refer to "Clarification by Senior Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Sustainability and the Environment", Official Report, 6 August 2024, Vol 95, Issue 138, Correction By Written Statement section.]