Hydrogen Peroxide
September 21, 2010
COMMUNITY pharmacists are
routinely vigilant when handling
medicines and a wide variety of
health products.
Now, at the request of the
Attorney-General’s Department, the
Guild is urging community
pharmacists to be mindful of an
issue relating to hydrogen peroxide.
In addition to its normally benign
uses, including cleaning wounds and
bleaching hair, it has been revealed
that hydrogen peroxide can be used
to make homemade explosives.
This over-the-counter chemical has
been used by terrorists
internationally, such as in the July
2005 London bombings, to cause
deaths and mass casualties.
In the same year in Australia,
police uncovered a terrorist plot
involving a group of men from
Sydney, some of whom were linked
to purchases of hydrogen peroxide
from pharmacies.
Community pharmacists and their
staff can help prevent the misuse of
hydrogen peroxide in three easy
steps:
1. Ask your customer, as you
would with medicines, how
they intend to use the product.
2. Think does this fit with the
product’s normal usage? Is the
quantity appropriate for their
intended use? Does the customer
fit the profile for this product?
Are they acting nervous or evasive?
3. Act if something doesn’t feel r
right. Speak to your supervisor
then call the National Security
Hotline on 1800 123 400 to
report your suspicions. Record
as much information about the
purchaser as you can and, if
possible, retain CCTV images.
You should also consider
strengthening security around the
product by placing it within sight,
and reducing the number of bottles
on display.
For more information on the
chemicals of security concern visit
australia.gov.au/chemicalsecurity,
email chemicalsecurity
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