Last December, Singapore’s Civil Defence Force (SCDF) announced the banning of hydrocarbons as a refrigerant in that country.
According to its bulletin, since September 2009 a multi-agency working group undertook a total holistic review on the use of hydrocarbon (HC) refrigerants across various applications. It agreed HC refrigerants have an edge over many refrigerants in terms of their environment impact, however, the main consideration was that HC refrigerant flammability would pose a potential safety hazard to users and occupants that was too great a risk. Risks that could be avoided with safer alternative refrigerants or other refrigerant blends.
The SCDF would allow the use of HC refrigerant in spring-regulated domestic refrigerators, subject to a charge weight cap of 150g of HC refrigerant and the refrigerant is hermetically sealed within the refrigerator. It would also allow the use of HC refrigerant in spring-regulated air conditioners.
Those products would have to include advisory labels to educate users on the inherent risks of HC refrigerant and issue of disposal.
Some domestic air conditioners were already installed with HCs and owners of those products had until 2016 to retrofit. Some industrial process refrigeration systems could also be exempt if they could prove it was essential and complied with safety requirements.
Other than those exceptions HCs were banned for use in mobile air conditioning (MAC), commercial refrigeration and all other uses.
The SCDF claimed it did not come to the conclusion lightly as to the potential ramifications to the industry and users. It would continue to monitor the market for emerging alternatives to HC refrigerants that could better address the safety, environmental and economic concerns.
The policy to restrict and regulate the use of HC refrigerants in MAC systems shall take effect from 1st April 2012. These vehicles include all type of road transport such as motor cars, vans, lorries, buses and trains.
The main role of the SCDF is to provide fire fighting, rescue and emergency ambulance services; mitigating hazardous materials incidents, as well as formulate, implement and enforce regulations on fire safety and civil defence shelter matters.