Draft Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) (Amendment) Regulations 2013
Amended draft regulations implementing an EC Directive on making pyrotechnic articles available on the market.
Documents
Details
In the 2007/23 EC Directive on Pyrotechnic Articles there is a prohibition on using military explosives and commercial blasting agents (other than ‘black powder and flash composition’) in pyrotechnic articles. This came into effect on 4 July 2013 and is implemented in the UK via the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2010.
This prohibition is an error in the original 2007 Directive, because it could interrupt the production and use of important pyrotechnic articles such as manufacturing air bags in the automotive industry. The error was corrected in the recently published revision of the 2013/29 EC Directive.
The government wants to implement this correction into UK legislation as soon as possible. The draft regulations amends the 2010 Regulations and remove the prohibition for certain articles. This will allow industry to continue existing practices without interruption, and enable the continued supply of pyrotechnic articles using detonative substances.
To comments on the attached draft regulations, email Christine Knox: christine.knox@bis.gsi.gov.uk by 25 July 2013.