The Poisons List and its requirements

Labelling of the container

This includes requirements for:

• the name of the seller and address of the premises where the poison is sold (and this must be made clear where the container also has the supplier’s name and address), although this may be restricted to the outer covering in which the poison is supplied

• the name of the poison as it is described in the Poisons List

• the word “POISON” on either a separate label or within a rectangular frame within a larger label

• mixtures, or preparations as they are still known under the Poisons Rules; the percentage of the poison has to be shown and whether it is weight/weight, weight/volume or volume/volume

• all bottles of liquids of less than 3 litres to be labelled “Not to be taken”

• all mixtures containing potassium hydroxide or sodium hydroxide to be labelled “Caution. This substance is caustic”.

The above labelling is additional to anything that may be required under the Chemicals (Hazard Information and Packaging for Supply) Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No. 716 (CHIP4) or the EU Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 on classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP).

Suitability of the container

Containers shall be impervious to the poison and sufficiently stout to prevent leakage due to the ordinary risks of handling, and liquid bottles of less than 1.14 litres shall be fluted vertically with ribs or grooves.

The safe storage of the poisons

Poisons must be kept in an impervious, suitably strong container and must, in the case of those listed in Schedule 1 (which includes both Part I and many Part II listed poisons) be stored:

• in a cupboard or drawer reserved solely for poisons

• partitioned off or separated part of the premises to which customers do not have access, or

• on a shelf reserved for poisons and with no food being stored thereunder.

Special rules are applicable to the poisons for use in agriculture, horticulture and forestry.

Transport of poisons

They must be transported in sufficiently strong containers and the outside package must be labelled conspicuously with the name of the poison and a notice indicating that it must be kept separate from food and empty containers which had contained food. The person transporting the poison must ensure that it is kept effectively separated from any food.

Of course, where applicable, the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (SI 2009 No. 1345) (CDG2009) rules apply.

Persons who may sell poisons

In general, anyone wishing to sell "Part II" poisons must register their name and the address of their business premises with their local Trading Standards Service. They must however, only sell them in the form in which they were supplied by the manufacturer or wholesaler. Those substances listed in Schedule I may only be sold by the shopkeeper, or by a “responsible deputy”, who must be named on the application for registration, or later in writing. No more than two deputies are permitted at any one time for a set of premises.

Persons to whom poisons may be sold

Part I poisons may only be sold to those conducting a retail pharmacy, or to those providing a signed statement that they are not intending to sell the poison on any premises used for, or in connection with, a retail business. There are no special restrictions on Part II poisons.

Recording details of sales in a "Poisons Book"

Sales of certain Part II poisons, such a aldicarb and paraquat, which can only be sold by the listed seller or one of their deputies must be recorded in a Poisons Book , but for many others, no recording of the sale is required.

Exemptions

The rules provide for many total exemptions from the provisions when the poisonous substances are incorporated into certain mixtures such as:

• adhesives and glues

• anti-fouling mixtures

• builders materials

• ceramics

• cosmetics

• distempers

• enamels and glazes

• explosives and fireworks

• fillers

• fluorescent lamps

• paints, inks, varnishes and lacquer solvent

• loading materials

• matches

• motor fuels and lubricants

• medicated animal feed

• photographic papers

• pigments and plastics

• rubber.

The rules also provide for exemption of certain mixtures when the concentration of the poison is restricted.

For example:

• nicotine is exempted when in liquid or solid mixtures containing more than 7.5% (a level at which the mixture is still classifiable as Acutely Toxic under CLP)

• HCl is exempted from poisons control at <10% (where it will generally only be classifiable as a metal corrosive under CLP from about 0.2%).