Sciencemadness Discussion Board

KNO3 now classed as Dangerous Goods in Australia

Gearhead_Shem_Tov - 10-9-2008 at 01:20

I bought a 25Kg bag of agricultural potassium nitrate this afternoon, and I was told it had recently -- within the past fortnight -- been (re-?)classified as Dangerous Goods. The clerk recorded my name and address (which they would have had in any case since I used my bank card for the purchase).

Does anyone know if there is any practical significance to this?

-Bobby

Ramiel - 10-9-2008 at 07:02

Well, it means for a start that I will have to make all of my own nitrates. Whilst being a royal pain in the ass, I refuse to be on another federal long-list of naughty citizens.

I can't see who they're targeting amongst the usual suspects though, drug manufacturers perhaps? terarises? child pornographers?

Perhaps it's just another angle at getting warrants... oops, starting to go all conspiracy theory!

ScienceSquirrel - 10-9-2008 at 07:10

Surely Australia with a large agricultural sector must have hundreds of people buying potassium nitrate among other materials.
It is widely used over here as a 'pick me up' for peaky tomatos etc.

panziandi - 10-9-2008 at 09:53

No offence but a Sydney apple is classed as Dangerous goods to Western Australia ;)

However I think the reason KNO3 is "dangerous goods" is because it has been seen as a potential easy explosive precursor. A man was recently arrested in the UK for having 4kg of KNO3 and planning to kill the Premier (I'm assuming through the use of a home made explosive?!)

Indeed Nitrates are widely used in agriculture especially for tomatos and has many uses to home chemists that are completely nothing to do with it's high oxidising capibility.

... It's a shame there are such restrictions on such useful chemicals all because of a small minority of people who just are not compatible with society! ... :(

Picric-A - 10-9-2008 at 11:38

how easily can you buy other things such as NH4NO3 , NaClO3, NaNO3 ect...?
Luckily a rule like that hasnt come back to England.. i can still easily buy all sorts of oxidisers form my local farm shop. Well i suppose its only a matter of time... :(

Panache - 10-9-2008 at 18:18

Quote:
Originally posted by Picric-A
how easily can you buy other things such as NH4NO3 , NaClO3, NaNO3 ect...?
Luckily a rule like that hasnt come back to England.. i can still easily buy all sorts of oxidisers form my local farm shop. Well i suppose its only a matter of time... :(


saltpeter is easy to buy if you know where, the others ok also, legally speaking, however the issue in australia is not whether something is illegal or not its that no-one carries chemicals, so to get something you are generally having to leave details even for fine NaCl. Overtime you find most things, i generally stay away from the chemical houses because of expense and hassle (if i get something delivered it means i have to commit to being in one place for the day and this shits me). There is one chemical OTC supplier in Sydney however they are essentially a drug making suppliers shop and in my opinion worse to purchase from than Sigma, i purchased a 200L QVF still from them once (2nd hand) and drove from melbourne to sydney to pick it up, the dude had a cash counter and a rolls royce circa 1995.

chloric1 - 11-9-2008 at 17:57

Quote:
Originally posted by Panache
Quote:
Originally posted by Picric-A
the dude had a cash counter and a rolls royce circa 1995.


Oh how nice:o He won't cause any problems. :P