Re: Table Salt a Hazardous Substance


"Kevin Cunningham" <smskjc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:32a96981-23f6-4ed3-94e8-cb41bfa1e5cc@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
On Jan 30, 1:25 pm, "NoSpam" <NoS...@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Dear Mike,

I am frustrated. The following post to the microscope group on NewNet
explain why.
Gerhard

Hello

I have made an astounding discovery regarding
the freedoms we enjoy in the West.

One of my hobbies is the precipitation of micro-
crystals and their observation under the objective
of a microscope using various forms of illumi-
nation.

For this purpose I have used NaCl, also known
as table salt when sold over the counter at food
markets. This form of NaCl however contains
various impurities, some on purpose, some from
inadequate purification. The resulting crystals
are interesting, but show lack of perfect sym-
metry.

I have therefore tried to purchase analytical
grade NaCl from Sigma-Aldrich and Baddley
Chemicals. I did not know that at Sigma-Aldrich
one must go thru a "screening process" on ac-
count of the hazards posed to national security
by chemicals, including NaCl. In the process
of being "screened" I learned that no sales must
be made to individuals, no matter how harm-
less a substance may be. Same for Baddley
Chemicals.

How can it be, that the sale of NaCl and pre-
sumably of other, similarly harmless compounds
to individuals is forbidden? I can't imagine that
this is caused by true concern for the security of
a nation which prides itself in being the sole re-
maining superpower. Could it be that this regu-
lation serves the purpose of bringing all of sciene
under total federal control? Could it be that
the lack of science education among politicians
and lawmakers has led to such an excess?

I would be interested in comments regarding
this subject.

Thank you
G.R.

A few years ago I tried to buy a liter of Heptane, a great cleaning
agent, from a scientific supplier on line. They accepted the order
and...nothing happened. It was not a security concern, it was that
they viewed it as odd that any customer would only order one thing.
I've seen the truck roll into Emory and UG-A, it's really impressive,
this is were the catalogers run the show. A primary catalog house
will send several trucks a day to a med school like Emory. Then there
is me, they don't know me, they really don't know why I am trying to
order a liter of heptane and they don't know how to handle less than
$50.

Some of the problem you site is because of hysteria over 9/11, some of
it is a single individual dealing with a major supplier. (sigh) Its a
sign of the times!

Kevin Cunningham
SMS

Dear Kevin,

The supplier does in principle not need to know why you order
table salt or any other non-hazardous compound.. They do know
how to handle one shipment of one compound as I will demon-
strate below.

One of the answers to this thread claims that table salt is a
dangerous chemical. It is even official classified as of (low)
hazard implications because it can cause eye irritation. It
is of course also true that other items are dangerous, think for
example of pen knives, wine, hammers, razor blades and pants
belts. Yet they are shipped to individua

I am often surprised to see that participants in a discussion do not
really take the time to read the posts they are answering.

I made it amply clear that, no matter what and how much is orderd
supply houses have to "screen" the customers. Even when they are
"institutions" the institution will be screened and an interview will be
conducted. Then it will take two days to be approved. So this is
regardless of the size of any order.

The chemicals at Sigma-Aldrich are prepacked by compound
and size. You do not, f.e., order table salt 33 g and they weigh it out!
It's prepacked and you can order I believe 50g or 500g. The
price is nearly the same for both sizes. You can then, if you are
a member of an approved, that is screened institution, click on
that item and the order is automatically processed and charged
to your account, credit card or otherwise. No additional work
would be involved for an individual purchase than for an
institutiion and shipping of course is paid according to the
same schedule for all customers.

I do agree that large accounts bring more business than
small ones. There is no reason however, as I have clearly
explained, not to sell to small accounts, since no additional
costs are involved. A model society, such as the US prides
itself to be, must not discriminate against a small customer
just simply because he is small, even when the profit per
item sold matches exactly the profit made off a large
customer.

As I have also demonstrated the prohibition of sales
to non-cleared individuals is not justified by the supplier
as one of more costly distribution, but government
regulation is involved. Go to Sigma-Aldrich and try to
go thru the order process. You will find a page with a
large sign pointing to the Department of Home Security.
Then call up and have a talk with them.

G.R.

.