NEMO-Chemistry
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IMA- hedging bets
I came across a supplier (several actually) but one in particular who has peed me off. I went on one of there sites and tried ordering Industrial
Methylated Spirits from here.
https://atomscientific.com/product/industrial_methylated_spi...
See the heading 99.9% GW
It says you have to have a Industrial Alcohol exemption cert (yeah you try and get one, i tried). So i look at the rules......
Basically <5% of poisons and yep you got to have an exemption, except you have to show that you cant use something less than 99% pure before its
granted (there is apparently a trick to this, i discovered later).
Now read the MSDS for it.
Actually just looked and its changed since i called them today!! The MSDS says 1-10% methanol. Well that isnt 99.9% is it! not even close
Then i read the spec on the same page, again min spec says 99.9%
But same page same spec goes on to say Methanol 3%-5%.
Ok so its a max of 97% then?? Which would fit better with reality i guess, anyway i called them.
I asked why the need for an exemption? So they quote the rules to me. I quote back trading standards to them, i ask which is correct, the Label, the
MSDS or the spec??
I tell them nothing relating to the product fits the material relating to the product, i ask if its 99.9% or what? So at this point are they more
worried about the taxman or trading standards?
The guy got really shitty with me, all i wanted to know was what is in the product and how much of it, dont tell me 99.9% and then tell me thats
accurate give or take 1-10% and try and tell me actually at most its 97% pure!!
BTW
Want to get around this? Call the Customs and excise people, they will ask the purpose of the product, state....Optical equipment to capture
experimentation. Apparently camera lenses require 99% for proper cleaning and its the one valid excuse they except.
So how bad do the government want your money?
https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/alcohols-duties-fo...
Everything needs a form, i checked but didnt find one for talking about it, i guess its at the printers.
[Edited on 14-12-2017 by NEMO-Chemistry]
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Reboot
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Well, that's confusing.
SDS sheets are commonly 'rough justice', with numbers rounded off to whole units and bracketed quantities. The SDS is for shipping and handling
hazards, not for evaluating purity or application suitability. I commonly see things like a 70% mix listed as "50-90%" on its SDS. So, I wouldn't
get too hung up on that.
The specification is certainly badly written. I would interpret it as 3-5% methanol with the REMAINDER of the volume being 99.9% ethanol. Which is
probably fine if you're looking for a solvent, but is likely undesirable for a reagent since it will increase the amount of side products (though
perhaps not by an unacceptable level, depending on what you're making.)
My assumption would be that the methanol content is on the high side of their range, ie. 5% since methanol is usually cheaper than ethanol.
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NEMO-Chemistry
International Hazard
Posts: 1559
Registered: 29-5-2016
Location: UK
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Quote: Originally posted by Reboot  | Well, that's confusing.
SDS sheets are commonly 'rough justice', with numbers rounded off to whole units and bracketed quantities. The SDS is for shipping and handling
hazards, not for evaluating purity or application suitability. I commonly see things like a 70% mix listed as "50-90%" on its SDS. So, I wouldn't
get too hung up on that.
The specification is certainly badly written. I would interpret it as 3-5% methanol with the REMAINDER of the volume being 99.9% ethanol. Which is
probably fine if you're looking for a solvent, but is likely undesirable for a reagent since it will increase the amount of side products (though
perhaps not by an unacceptable level, depending on what you're making.)
My assumption would be that the methanol content is on the high side of their range, ie. 5% since methanol is usually cheaper than ethanol.
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Exactly, but then at 5% Methanol there is no need to get a exemption from tax that they insist on  . Actually many companies in the UK are cracking down on this, seems the tax man is giving many agro.
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