LPG pressure vessels and ancillary products now under mandatory certification – DTI

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) reminds all stakeholders that the mandatory product certification of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) pressure vessels and ancillary products has begun since July 2023.

The Department Administrative Order (DAO) 22-11 which took effect last 23 July 2022 prescribes the mandatory certification of the following LPG pressure vessels and ancillary products, whether locally manufactured or imported, and LPG related systems and services:

-Transportable and refillable steel cylinders for LPG (new cylinders)

-Transportable and refillable welded steel cylinders for LPG (repaired cylinders) with water capacities up to 150L as specified in PNS 03-1 and which have passed the methods of requalification of PNS 03- 2.

-Transportable and refillable steel cylinders for LPG – Methods of requalification

-Road vehicles – LPG containers

-LPG regulator for domestic use

-Gas cylinders – Refillable seamless aluminum alloy gas cylinders

-Gas cylinders – Refillable composite gas cylinders and tubes

-Hoop wrapped fibre reinforced composite gas cylinders and tubes up to 450L,

-Fully wrapped fibre reinforced composite gas cylinders and tubes up to 450L with the loadsharing metal liners, and

-Fully wrapped fibre reinforced composite gas cylinders and tubes up to 450L with non-loadsharing metallic or non-metallic liners

-Gas cylinders – Refillable composite reinforced tubes of water capacity between 450L and 3000L

Gas cylinders – Refillable welded stainless-steel cylinders –

-Test pressure 6 MPa and below;

-Test Pressure greater than 6 MPa

-Non-refillable gas cartridges for LPG, with or without a value, for use with portable appliances

-Rubber hoses and hose assemblies for LPG in the liquid or gaseous phase and natural gas up to 25 bar (2.5 MPa)

-Gas cylinders – Refillable seamless steel gas cylinders – Design, construction and testing

-Quenched and tempered steel cylinders with tensile less than 1100 MPa

-Quenched and tempered steel cylinders with tensile strength greater than or equal to 1100MPa

-Normalized steel cylinders

-Stainless steel cylinders with an Rm value of less than 1100 Mpa

-Gas cylinders LPG cylinder valves (self-closing)

-Gas cylinders – LPG cylinder valves – (Manually operated)

-Gas cylinders – Refillable seamless steel tubes for compressed gas transport

-Road vehicles – Code of Practice for the use of LPG system in internal combustion engine

 

On the other hand, DAO 22-11 does not cover the refilling of LPG pressure vessels and the composition of the refilled LPG as they are under the purview of the Department of Energy (DOE).

The Philippine Standard (PS) Quality Certification Mark Licensing Scheme shall be available to both local and foreign manufacturers selling or distributing LPG cylinders and ancillary products in the Philippine market.

For imported LPG and ancillary products, the importer shall apply for either Statement of Confirmation (SOC) for PS-certified products or Import Commodity Clearance (ICC) for non-PS certified products on a per shipment per Bill of Lading/Airway Bill basis.

For safety, traceability, and accountability purposes and to eliminate risk of importation of used cylinders and tubes, the imported refillable LPG cylinders shall be sourced only from manufacturing plants holding valid PS Licenses.

For LPG cylinder repair and requalification as well as automotive LPG retrofitting systems, the PS Quality Certification Mark shall be the only applicable scheme.

Local LPG cylinder repairers and requalifiers shall apply for PS License. Meanwhile, only local automotive LPG retrofitters shall be allowed to apply for the PS License.

“Ultimately, our goal for the implementation of this mandatory certification is to create a safer environment for the use of LPG pressure vessels and its ancillary products. Conformance to the standards we have set for the manufacture of these products and other allied services will promote product quality and, therefore, prevent accidents or incidents that may significantly endanger the lives of our people. Furthermore, not only will this protect our consumers, but will also promote the use of clean energy and empower businesses in the Philippine LPG industry,” DTI Sec. Pascual said.

The monitoring and enforcement based on the requirements of the DAO shall be conducted by the DTI on 23 July 2024. The full copy of DAO 22-11:2022 may be downloaded here: https://bps.dti.gov.ph/component/edocman/7-laws-and-issuances/11-department-administrative-orders.

The DTI-BPS is the National Standards Body authorized to promulgate Philippine National Standards (PNS).

Conformance to PNS requirements is voluntary unless a regulatory authority uses the PNS as reference in the technical regulation for a specific product or service where conformance to PNS or parts thereof becomes mandatory.

For more updates and information on standards, technical regulations, and conformity assessment procedures (STRACAP), please visit the BPS website (www.bps.dti.gov.ph). Emails and messages may also be sent to bps@dti.gov.ph or through the official BPS Facebook page (facebook.com/PHstandards).