Bulletin 271 - 11/02
China - Suspended Import of Ammonium Nitrate
We have been advised that on September 30, 2002, the General Office of the State Council issued a Notice (GBF(2002)52) that banned the sale of ammonium nitrate as a fertilizer, and suspended the import of ammonium nitrate into China.
The official announcement includes the following:
This action was taken due to several recent criminal actions and accidents which involved civil explosions.
Ammonium nitrate is the main raw material for the production of explosives as well as an agricultural fertilizer, and can be privately made into an explosive. Potash chlorate is often mixed into smoke and fire agents by law-breaking individuals to produce fireworks and firecrackers, which often gives rise to major accidents. In order to put an end to the illegal production of explosives using ammonium nitrate, and to prevent explosion accidents caused by fireworks and firecrackers from happening, rigid control and management of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate is now being imposed.
As of the date of promulgation of the above Notice, ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate is listed in the List of Names of Civil Explosives, and their sales, purchases and use shall be managed in the same way as civil explosives. Sales of ammonium nitrate as fertilizer and mixing potash chlorate into smoke and fire agents to produce fireworks and firecracker is banned. At the same time, import of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate has been suspended.
We advise Members to inform their commercial departments accordingly and to seek further up to date advice from their local agents.
Decision of the General Office of the State Council to Suspend Import of Ammonium Nitrate
On September 30, 2002, the General Office of the State Council disseminated the document No. GBF[2002]52 Notice on Further Strengthening the Safety Management of Civil Explosives. The Notice decided to ban the sales of ammonium nitrate as fertilizer, and to suspend the import of ammonium nitrate at the same time. Relevant contents of the original text of the Notice are as follows:
Notice of the General Office of the State Council on Further Strengthening the Safety Management of Civil Explosives
Recently, criminal cases and accidents in production in relation to civil explosives have frequently occurred, which has jeopardized production and public safety, caused grave damages to and losses of State properties and the lives and properties of the people, and greatly impaired the stability of the society. Corresponding managerial measures should be taken to cope with the existing problems in the safety management of civil explosives. Upon the approval of the State Council, relevant issues are hereby notified as follows:
I. To bring ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate into the management of civil explosives
Ammonium nitrate is the main raw material for the production of civil explosives as well as a agricultural fertilizer, and is very likely to be privately made into dynamite, which would seriously undermine public safety. Potash chlorate is often mixed into smoke and fire agents by law-breaking producers of fireworks and firecracker to produce fireworks and firecracker, which often gives rise to major accidents of explosion. In order to put an end to the illegal production of explosives using ammonium nitrate, and to prevent explosion accidents caused by fireworks and firecracker from happening, rigid control and management on ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate must be imposed. As of the date of promulgation of this Notice, ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate shall be listed in the List of Names of Civil Explosives, and their sales, purchases and use shall be managed in the same way as civil explosives. Sales of ammonium nitrate as fertilizer and mixing potash chlorate into smoke and fire agents to produce fireworks and firecracker shall be banned. At the same time, import of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate shall be suspended.
Considering that some crops need nitric nitrogen fertilizer, treatment by modification of the properties of ammonium nitrate (to turn it into compound fertilizer) is allowed so as to remove its explosiveness and to prevent it from being recycled and then to be sold or used as fertilizer. The nitric nitrogen fertilizer after such treatment shall be in conformity with the standards for new products as formulated by relevant authorities. Departments of economy and trade shall take immediate steps to organize relevant fertilizer producers to carry out the work of modification of the properties of ammonium nitrate, to include the work of modification of the properties of ammonium nitrate into the scope of technological renovation, and to render necessary assistance by way of non-deduction of interest while honoring State loans. Departments of economy and trade and departments in charge of supervision and management of production safety at various levels, as well as relevant local governments shall take rigorous measures to sort out and clear factories (units) producing ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate. Before the measures concerning the modification of the properties of ammonium nitrate are implemented, all producers of ammonium nitrate fertilizers shall stop production. No application for establishment of new ammonium nitrate fertilizers factories (or units) shall be approved. As for the present stocks of ammonium nitrate fertilizers owned by the manufacturing and trading enterprises, local governments above country level shall timely organize departments of economy and trade, departments of supply and distribution, competent departments in charge of production and circulation of civil explosives instruments, and departments in charge of supervision and management of production safety to investigate and find out the real situation of stocks, and to transfer, in a unified way and with compensation, such stocks to producers of civil explosives instruments.
From now on, ammonium nitrate is only allowed to be sold to designated producers of civil explosives instruments, producers of pharmaceuticals and cryogen, and relevant educational and scientific research units. Potash chlorate can only be sold to producers of pharmaceuticals and dying and printing enterprises, as well as relevant educational and scientific research units. Selling or transferring in any other ways ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate to individuals and other units is strictly prohibited. Any purchase of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate shall be subject to approval by local competent departments in charge of production and distribution of civil explosives instruments under the provincial or municipal governments (Designated producers of civil explosives can continue the existing practice of getting their purchase and sales contracts permitted by way of authentication and authorization). Anyone with the intent to purchase ammonium nitrate or potash chlorate shall apply for a License for Purchase of Civil Explosives with the local public security organ under the people’s government above county level. Manufacturing or trading enterprises of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate shall ask for and check the permit for purchase or the authenticated and authorized purchase and sales contract from the buyer before they sell the ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate, and shall sell the same in strict accordance with the product name and the quantity stated in such permit for purchase or purchase and sales contract. In case of purchase or sales of ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate without a permit or contract, or sales of the same to individuals, the ammonium nitrate and potash chlorate in question shall be confiscated by the public security organs in accordance with the relevant provisions of Regulations on the Management of Civil Explosives. Meanwhile, additional punishments shall be imposed according to law. For grave infringement that constitutes a crime, criminal responsibilities shall be imposed in pursuance of the provisions of Article 125 of the Criminal Law.
II. To strictly implement the system of coding and numbering detonators (omitted)
III. To implement the system of supervision over the sales, purchase, use and circulation of civil explosives instruments (omitted)
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