Asbestos Regulation in Singapore
Regulation summary
Asbestos is fully prohibited in this country. All use, trade, import and manufacture of asbestos-containing materials is banned. Existing asbestos in buildings still requires certified professionals for safe removal and disposal.
Singapore banned the use of asbestos in building materials in the late 1980s. Raw asbestos import was prohibited under the Poisons Act around 1989, and building authorities prohibited asbestos materials in new construction by about 1990. Any building constructed after 1 January 1991 is expected to be asbestos-free. However, many older structures, including HDB flats, colonial-era Black and White bungalows, schools, offices, and industrial buildings from the 1960s-1980s, still contain asbestos-containing materials in roofing sheets, ceiling tiles, wall panels, floor tiles, and pipe insulation.
Singapore's regulatory framework for managing existing asbestos is among the strictest in Southeast Asia. The Workplace Safety and Health (Asbestos) Regulations 2014 require mandatory asbestos surveys before any building works in pre-1991 structures. Only MOM-approved Asbestos Removal Contractors (AARC) may handle or remove asbestos, and contractors must notify MOM at least one week before starting removal work. All asbestos waste must be sealed, labelled, transported by NEA-licensed toxic waste carriers, and disposed of at Semakau Landfill. Asbestosis and mesothelioma are listed as compensable occupational diseases.
Despite the ban, mesothelioma cases have risen significantly due to legacy exposure: only 5 cases were registered in the early 1980s compared to 110 in 2019, reflecting the long latency period of asbestos-related diseases.
Key dates
1989: Raw asbestos import banned under the Poisons Act. Building authorities prohibit asbestos materials in new construction
1991: All buildings constructed from 1 January 1991 onward expected to be asbestos-free
2014: Workplace Safety and Health (Asbestos) Regulations 2014 enacted, requiring mandatory pre-renovation asbestos surveys for pre-1991 buildings, MOM-approved contractors (AARC) for removal, and one-week advance notification to MOM
2018: Construction debris on St John's Island tests positive for asbestos; authorities close parts of the island for cleanup
2019: 110 mesothelioma cases registered, a significant increase from 5 cases in the early 1980s, attributed to legacy exposure from pre-ban materials
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