Important information on the sale of corrosive products and substances!

The Offensive Weapons Act 2019 has revised the constraints on the sale, possession and enforcement of corrosive products and substances. 

DEFINITION

The types of products that are defined as “corrosive products” for the purposes of the legislation are those that contain corrosive substances at levels where they could be misused to cause serious harm and life-changing injury to others. Any product that contains a substance listed in the following table in a concentration higher than the limit below will be classed as a corrosive product: 

Sale of Corrosive Products

It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure the purchaser or representative these products are sold to, is 18 years of age or over. This includes over-the-counter and remote internet sales. The Act recommends sellers apply a challenge 21/25 policy for verifying age. This can be in the form of photographic evidence i.e. Passport, driving license. 

Products included within our range are listed below and apply to all sizes: 

• Caustic Soda
• Multi-purpose Descaler
• Spirits of Salts
• Knockout Drains, Toilets & Urinals
• Knockout Sinks, Showers & Baths
• Knockout Toilet and Drain Unblocker
• Knockout Pathway & Patio Cleaner

For Internet/Remote sellers the Act states

“It is the responsibility of the seller to make a decision on whether a particular system meets the requirement that [the] system was likely to prevent persons under the age of 18 from buying corrosive products by that method”. “However, it is the Government’s intention that the following examples, either individually or combined, will be insufficient to satisfy the court that robust age verification had taken place: 

• Relying on the person purchasing the corrosive product ticking a box confirming that they are over 18; 
• Relying in any other way on information provided by the purchaser that they are over 18 without conducting additional checks; 
• Using payment systems that may require the customer to be over 18, but which do not verify their age at the point of purchase.” 

Labelling

All packages individual or cartons containing these substances must be clearly marked to indicate that it contains a corrosive product and should only be sold or delivered into the hands of a person aged 18 or over. 

Delivery of Corrosive Products

It is the responsibility of the seller to ensure these products are handed to persons 18 years of age or over. 

For Internet/Remote sellers

Deliveries cannot: 

• Be made to a Residential Address unless the purchasing company is registered to that address. 
• Be made to a locker for collection. 
• If goods are delivered by own transport or by carrier. The challenge 21/25 policy will be required to ensure goods are received by persons who are 18 years of age or older. It is the responsibility of the seller to inform the carrier that age verification is required prior to hand over. 

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