Legality of Chemical Experimentation

[pyroglycerine]

Hi,

 

Can anyone provide me with some information or a link to some information about the legality of chemical experimentation outside of an official educational or scientific institution (ie in a lab at home) in the UK, Spain, and China?

 

Mainly China. I'm doing my BSc Chemistry here and I would like to start doing some experiments at home. I know I have access to practically any chemical commercially or industrially available and the same goes for lab equipment. However, although I have access, I don't know if it's legal because nobody really follows the rules/laws here too much. Why do I care? Because even if its a million to one chance, if its illegal, I don't want police knocking at my door and finding a room full of chemicals.

 

I would also like to know the laws in UK and Spain for future reference.

 

Thanks,

 

pyroglycerine

[vampares]

Fume hooding and some sort of pollution mitigation may be required. This is for personnel safety and environmental protection respectively, even if this is a non-hazmat laboratory. Fuming chemical is "cooking" the batch and discouraged by most scientific professionals. You should have tested any experiment on a small scale, reviewed accepted science and laws applicable explicitly concerning this experimentation.

 

Further more you may need to peer review your mission statement. Prodiamine is an example of WTF. I personally would flag the compound.

 

Factor any potential local health effects as a form of assault. Most countries do not regulate things such as smoke from a wood fire. Some do however. Any odor at all may be a violation. These are typically local ordinances. . .\

 

There are restrictions regarding elicit substances, illegal substances (ricin comes to mind), ballistic substances (nitro addition requires reciprocal attenuation, say, Killo Joules = energy do some physics, safely attenuate). Radio-active material is a hazardous substance and resultant wastes should be handled by the appropriate facility. Radiology is a dose sensitive science, so you should not be working with this material at home.

 

There are actually surprisingly few regulations regarding anything that isn't a "social determent". I.e. prohibition. Suggestive legislation is sometimes in err.

 

Statues may require you to have some sort of a permit. The permit acquisition would entail some sort of a requist or inspection. Most regulatory bodies do not require critical peer review.

 

Somewhat rare but economic value of said experimentation could be regulated. Who you work for and where the reagents come form could be regulated. End use is of importance, even if the product is not for sale.

 

I should add that some municipalities explicitly prohibit industrial chemicals and things of this nature. There may be laws of precedence which will define these areas.

 

Fire safety is another concern. Most municipalities require some sort of 'legitimate' use of combustion, possibly necessitating prior authorization (warning or a fine).

 

Bottom line, if you do something in bad taste or with disregard -- there sure as shit will be consequences.

 

This forum is a great place to run your ideas over people who are smarter than me. They will be able to assist you in developing scientific experiments.

Edited April 7, 2014 by vampares

[pyroglycerine]

Thanks!