Why is access to ammonium nitrate being controlled?
Ammonium nitrate is being regulated to reduce the chance of it getting into the hands of people who would seek to mis-use it to harm the Australian community. Ammonium nitrate can be used to make weapons that are capable of causing mass casualties and major destruction of property. Probably the best known example of its mis-use was the bombing of an office-block in Oklahoma City in 1995. Calcium Ammonium Nitrate was used by the IRA in the Omargh and Brighton bombings. However, ammonium nitrate is a product that is used for legitimate purposes, including as a fertiliser by the horticulture, dairy and other agriculture industries, and as an explosive ingredient by the mining and quarrying industries. In the current environment, the ready availability of ammonium nitrate presents a risk to public safety that must be properly managed alongside the ongoing requirements of legitimate users. The proposed regulatory scheme to control access to ammonium nitrate balances security considerations
