The regulations for supplying explosives precursors and poisons was updated on 27th September 2023 and came into force on 1st October. These put in place new requirements on the supply of certain chemicals which include the following commonly used in schools:

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. 

 Where they are being supplied frequently or on a routine basis to the same professional user or business, verification should occur every 18 months or whenever there is a change or deviation from normal purchasing patterns. This is something suppliers can choose to do, but given schools don’t generally make frequent purchases of these chemicals, it is likely that the information will be required for each order.

The person making the sale (the supplier) must obtain the following from the business customer (i.e. the school):

<!--the business customer’s name and address. If the business customer is not an individual, the name of an individual who is authorised on behalf of the business customer should be recorded;

<!--a form of photographic identification of the business customer or, if the business customer is not an individual, of the individual making the purchase; this could be a school photo ID card

<!--a statement of the nature of the business customer’s trade, business or profession, or of the public function that the business customer performs; and the business customer’s VAT registration number, if the business customer has such a number

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