New measures targeting bomb-making materials and poisons come into force

Under these changes introduced by the Home Office, there will be stricter requirements on reporting suspicious activity, including new obligations for online marketplaces. Customer information, such as photo identification, will be recorded when regulated materials are sold to business users.

Additional substances have also been added to the list of regulated poisons, including 2,4 Dinitrophenol (also known as DNP), which has taken the lives of many young people here in the UK. Other substances to be added include zinc phosphide and hexamine, which are often used in fireworks. This means that it will now be a criminal offence to sell these substances to members of the public without a valid licence.

Security Minister Tom Tugendhat explained: “The deaths of dozens of young people at the hands of criminals selling chemicals like DNP is a tragedy. These new measures will help to prevent dangerous controlled substances from falling into the wrong hands.”

Manchester Arena attack

These measures emerge on the back of the devastating Manchester Arena terror attack in 2017 and the Government’s commitment to look at whether current laws actually went far enough in terms of protecting members of the public.

The changes will come into force through updates to the Poisons Act 1972.

Andrew Quinn, head of the National Food Crime Unit at the Food Standards Agency, observed: “DNP can, and does, kill. This is why we strongly support the Home Office on the reclassification of DNP as a poison. Of course, we also support the police service on tackling criminals who supply this killer chemical.”

Adrian Simpson, retail products advisor at the British Retail Consortium, noted: “Retailers play an important part in spotting any suspicious activity from customers when buying particular chemical products and will take additional steps to verify the legitimacy of a purchase through more thorough ID checks. We welcome these new strengthened measures. Retailers are vital in protecting the public by ensuring that all changes are clearly communicated to their customers. They will provide additional information online to explain the risks associated with certain products.”

Poisons Act 1972

The Government continues to regularly work with online marketplaces to ensure that they’re aware of the harms of chemicals and poisons and can identify and take down potentially unlawful listings as quickly as possible.

The Poisons Act 1972 already sets out controls of chemicals which can be used to make explosives and poisons, restricting the general public’s access to the most dangerous materials. It permits a licensing regime for the purchase and use of regulated substances where there’s a legitimate need and no safer alternative.

Newly reportable explosives precursors

*Sulfur 

Newly reportable poisons

*Metal sulfides and polysulfides  

*Metal phosphides  

*Sodium hypochlorite solutions (above 6% available Cl)

Newly regulated precursors 

*Hexamine  

*Hydrochloric acid (over 10% w/w)  

*Phosphoric acid (over 30% w/w)  

*Ammonium nitrate (over 16% N)

Newly regulated poisons

*Aluminium sulfide  

*Sodium sulfide  

*Calcium sulfide  

*Magnesium sulfide  

*Calcium phosphide  

*Zinc phosphide  

*Arsenic compounds  

*Mercury compounds

*2,4-dinitrophenol (DNP) and compounds including sodium dinitrophenolate