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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
National
Letters

Sulphuric acid is all too readily available in the UK

Alexander Bassey, 17, spraying five people with acid in an unprovoked attack at Ockendon station in Essex in May 2016
Alexander Bassey, 17, spraying five people with industrial strength drain-cleaning acid in an unprovoked attack at Ockendon station in Essex in May 2016. He was jailed for eight years. Photograph: British Transport Police/PA

Bangladesh may have restricted the sale of acid in order to reduce assaults (Letters, 16 February) but in the UK the opposite has happened. Thanks to the last government’s obsession with deregulation, anyone can now buy full-strength sulphuric acid provided that they do not look “suspicious”. This material should only be used by people with thorough training and not by anyone who simply wants to clean out a drain.
Brian Price (chartered chemist)
Weston-super-Mare, Somerset

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• Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters

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