Explanatory note

These regulations amend the Explosives Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1972 (“the 1972 regulations”) with effect from 2nd December 1996.

Regulation 2(1)(a) and (b) of the 1972 regulations made it an offence, otherwise than in accordance with a licence from the Ministry of Home Affairs, to manufacture, sell, purchase or acquire ammonium nitrate; or any mixture, including a fertiliser, containing ammonium nitrate and in which any part of the nitrate fraction, having a chemically determined ammonium equivalent constituted, together with that equivalent, more than 79 per cent by weight of the said mixture.

Regulation 2(a) extends the prohibition in regulation 2(1)(a) of the 1972 regulations to any solution which contains ammonium nitrate.

Regulation 2(b) substitutes a new sub-paragraph for paragraph (1)(b) of, and regulation 2(c) inserts a new paragraph (1A) in, regulation 2 of the 1972 regulations to provide that the prohibition in regulation 2 shall apply to any mixture in which the ammonium nitrate content (as defined in paragraph (1A)) of any particulate component of such mixture is more than 79 per cent by weight of the said component.