Changes to the Regulations for the Supply of Chemicals
The regulations for supplying explosives precursors and poisons were updated on 27th September 2023 and came into force on 1st October.
What Chemicals Do the New Regulations Cover?
Explosives precursors: acetone, aluminium powders, hydrochloric acid, hydrogen peroxide, sulfur and sulfuric acid.
Poisons: ammonia, phenols, sodium hydroxide, sodium nitrite and sodium hypochlorite solutions.
The regulations state that businesses and professional users should be verified by the supplier every time a new purchase is made of these regulated chemicals.
CLEAPSS Guidance
In their current guidance CLEAPSS states:
Your school will have to decide who is authorised on behalf of the business to make the purchase (the name on the order must match the individual). For schools, it is most likely to be a technician, head of science or finance manager.
There is no licence which applies to these regulations, so there is nothing schools will need to apply for.
This information should be provided when requested by the company making the sale, there is no need to provide it in advance.
Further details including a list of the regulated substances and concentration thresholds can be found in the Explosives precursors and poisons: general guidance on the government website.
Government Guidance
In the newly updated guidance, the government states:
Members of the public who want to import, acquire, possess or use these chemicals must hold an Explosives Precursors and Poisons (EPP) licence issued by the Home Office and an associated photographic identity document. For further information see EPP licences: application guidance.
For retailer-specific information on selling chemicals responsibly please see ProtectUK.
The new guidance covers:
- Sales of regulated substances;
- Professional users;
- Suspicious transactions, disappearances and thefts;
- Supply chain notification and training;
- Offences;
- Complying with the law;
- Background legislation;
- Chemical list; and
- Reportable substances.