Disposal of explosives

This page summarises the guidance in the CBI publication Guidance for the Safe Management of the Disposal of Explosives.

It is aimed at those responsible for managing the disposal and destruction of explosives, and planning and implementing disposal activities. It is also aimed at professional explosive users, such as fireworks display operators, demolition operators and shot firers.
The guidance will also be of interest to dutyholders, regulatory authorities, the emergency services and others who may be called upon to manage the disposal of explosives or explosives contaminated waste such as:

• The police
• The Fire and Rescue Service
• Trading Standards officers
• Coastguard
• Waste disposal operators

What are the problems associated with disposal of explosives?

One of the main causes of accidents in the explosives industry is the disposal of explosives waste.

The risks associated with disposal of explosives waste means that incidents often lead to injuries or fatalities. 

Accidents can be avoided by:

• a better appreciation of the properties and behaviour of explosives under certain conditions – explosives earmarked for destruction may be unusually unstable due to deterioration
• drawing up properly considered systems of work, with appropriate safety precautions

Methods of disposal

‘Disposal of explosives’ means their destruction, or rendering them permanently explosively inert, or their safe and legal transfer to a competent person.

There is generally more than one way of destroying an explosive. The method used will depend on the nature of the explosive and its hazards, and the type and position of the disposal site.

There are four ways in which explosives should be destroyed:

• burning
• detonation
• dissolving or diluting by a solvent or
• chemical destruction

Sometimes a combination of methods can be used.

Dumping at sea (or in landfill) is not, under any circumstances, considered to be a suitable method of disposing of explosives.

Anyone disposing of explosives should be aware that they have duties to do so in a way that is not harmful to the environment.

Regulations

Regulation 6 of the Manufacture and Storage of Explosives Regulations requires that explosives are disposed of safely.

Guidance for the Safe Management of the Disposal of Explosives (CBI publication)

Guidance on the disposal of explosives has been published by the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) – Guidance for the Safe Management of the Disposal of Explosives. It replaced HSE’s Disposal of explosives waste CS23 in 2007.

The guidance has been produced by the Explosives Industry Forum (EIF), a tripartite body made up of the HSE’s Explosives Inspectorate, industry representatives and the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Its work has also been supported by the wider industry, the Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs, the Environment Agency and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.