Policy overview
The law generally prohibits transporting hazardous materials or 'dangerous goods' per transport regulations. However, there are a few types of 'dangerous goods' that may be legally transported provided they are properly packaged and labelled, and only under certain conditions. These items may be sold on eBay, as long as the listing:
- Clearly describes the hazardous nature of the product
- Specifies a compliant transport or delivery method that meets transport regulations and postal/courier requirements
Further information on the classification and transport of 'dangerous goods'
It's important to choose a carrier that permits the transport of the item you are selling. Although carriers may have different prohibitions and restrictions in place, visit these websites to see examples of prohibited and restricted items, and their packaging advice:
You can find important information about regulations concerning some of the hazardous materials mentioned in this policy in the Home Office's guidance on supplying explosives precursors and poisons - opens in new window or tab .
What are the guidelines?
Chemicals
Allowed
- Information on the sale of chemicals
Restricted
- Legally permitted chemicals (e.g. acetone, paints, inks, cleaning products, glues, oils) can be offered as long as:
- The product will be transported safely according to chemical legislation and the carrier’s policies (i.e. compliant packaging and labelling with EU standards)
- Appropriate information is provided to the buyer regarding the safe use of the product
- The following explosives precursors can be offered for sale as long as the substance is only present at or below the concentration limit where given:
- Acetone
- Hydrogen peroxide at or below 12% weight by weight
- Hexamine
- All hazardous chemicals (substances and mixtures) must be classified, labelled and packaged according to the CLP Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 - opens in new window or tab. Sellers are required to display the product’s hazard pictogram, statement and signal word within the listing
Not allowed
- Items that contravene any provision of the CLP regulation - opens in new window or tab (Classification, Labelling and Packaging of chemicals and mixtures). For more information, please visit the HSE website - opens in new window or tab.
- Items that contravene any provisions of the REACH regulation - opens in new window or tab (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals)
- Prohibited substances include, but are not limited to:
- Asbestos and items containing asbestos such as collectable gas masks
- Azocolourants or azodyes
- Benzene
- Dinitrophenol (DNP) in any of its forms, either as a pure substance or active ingredient of any product (such as weight-loss supplements)
- Lead-based paints
- Jewellery containing nickel
- Items containing mercury such as thermometers, manometers, barometers and sphygmomanometers (blood pressure measuring devices)
- Any carcinogenic, mutagenic or repro-toxic substance (category 1 or 2) in substances or mixtures sold to the general public
- Explosives precursors including aluminium powder, ammonium nitrate, calcium ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, hydrogen peroxide above 12% weight by weight (carbamide peroxide above 34% by weight), magnesium nitrate hexahydrate, magnesium powder, nitric acid, nitromethane, nitro-fuel, potassium chlorate, potassium nitrate, potassium perchlorate, sodium azide, sodium chlorate, sodium nitrate, sodium perchlorate, sulphuric acid and urea nitrate
Fireworks and combustible items
Restricted
- Firework labels that are no longer attached to a firework
- Model rockets that have no engines
- Pyrotechnic devices that have no combustible materials (such as control devices, launchers, or tubes)
Not allowed
- Black powder
- Caps for toy guns
- Explosive fuses
- Fireworks, including but not limited to:
- Aerial bombs
- Booby traps
- Bottle rockets
- Chasers
- Dayglo bombs
- Dummy fireworks
- Firecrackers
- Firework kits
- Fountains
- Nitro poppers
- Party poppers
- Roman candles
- Skyrockets
- Smokeballs
- Smoke bombs
- Snap caps
- Snappers
- Sparklers
- Sparks
- Torpedoes
- Flares (both projectile and road flares)
- Flash paper
- Gas cylinders containing any of the following compressed gases are also prohibited for safety reasons: acetylene, carbon monoxide, ammonia, chlorine, hydrogen and sulphur dioxide. Empty or part-empty bottles are also prohibited as they may contain residual gas
- Gasoline
- Red phosphorous
- Thermite
- Used oil (such as cooking oil or motor oil)
Fire extinguishers
Allowed
- Empty fire extinguishers or empty fire extinguisher grenades
- Fire extinguishers that don't contain carbon tetrachloride
- Information on how to use a fire extinguisher
Restricted
- A listing for antique fire extinguishers or fire extinguisher grenades needs to clearly state what substance they are filled with
Not allowed
- Fire extinguishers or fire extinguisher grenades (including glass bulb fire extinguishers and brass fire extinguishers with a T-shaped handle) that contain carbon tetrachloride. (See the Fire Service's website - opens in new window or tab for tips on safe disposal.)
Freon and other refrigerants
The sale of refrigerants, including CFCs, HCFCs and products commonly known as Freon, is regulated in the UK and Ireland. Most of these products may not be lawfully sold in the UK or Ireland or even used to maintain existing equipment and subsequently may not be listed on eBay.
Allowed
- Refrigerants contained within a household appliance or a vehicle
Not allowed
Pesticides and poisons
Pesticides are regulated in the UK by the Health and Safety Executive - opens in new window or tab (HSE). Medicinal pesticides are regulated separately by the Veterinary Medicines Directorate - opens in new window or tab.
In the Republic of Ireland, the Pesticide Registration and Control Divisions - opens in new window or tab (PRCD) of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine is responsible for implementing the regulatory system for plant protection products and biocidal products.
Allowed
- Information on the use of pesticides
Restricted
Approved pesticide products
eBay permits the listing of approved pesticide products only if:
- A the original container and/or original packaging, supplied by the approved holder for that pesticide, is unopened
- the pesticide is registered by the PSD or HSE (or for Ireland, the PRCD if required)
- the pesticide is properly labelled and displays the statutory conditions of use
- the pesticide is not restricted, suspended or cancelled
- the seller verifies that the container will be delivered in accordance with postal or transport regulations
- the seller has a certificate of competence with respect to pesticides for agricultural use
It is the seller's responsibility to ensure that the pesticide is registered and labelled according to legal requirements before offering it for sale on eBay. However, the buyer should verify the information provided by the seller before completing the sale. All sellers must state in their item description that they will comply with all applicable laws and regulations as well as ensure that the highest bidder satisfies all applicable regulations.
Collectable pesticide containers
eBay permits the listing of collectable pesticide containers or devices only if:
- the container or device is empty and rinsed, and the seller includes this information in the listing description
It is the seller's responsibility to ensure that the pesticide container or device is empty and rinsed before listing it for sale on eBay. However, the buyer should verify the information provided the by the seller before completing the sale. Do not dump the remaining contents of the pesticide container down the drain, into the garden or sewer. Contact your local authority, the HSE or PSD (UK), or the PRCD (Ireland) for instructions on the safe disposal of pesticides before you list the container or device for sale on eBay.
Not allowed
Radioactive materials
Allowed
- Geiger counters
- Information about atomic or nuclear testing or energy
- Warning badges or warning signs for radioactive material
Restricted
- Watches or gun sights that contain only a trace amount of radioactive material
- Natural ore samples that have trace amounts of radioactivity
Not allowed
- Atomic or nuclear blast items (such as hot rocks, items from a blast or testing zone and Trinitite)
- Items considered problematic by the HSE's Nuclear Directorate - opens in new window or tab and that the Nuclear Directorate has asked to be removed from eBay
- Items described in a listing as radioactive
- Nuclear materials
- Radioactive waste or contaminated materials
- Radium
- Raw depleted uranium
- Tritium in large amounts (such as certain types of glow sticks and exit signs)
Other hazardous materials
Restricted
- Undeployed airbags contained within the body of the steering wheel or removable seats of passenger cars or mini-buses. Please note: Sellers are not allowed to select the 'post worldwide' feature as these items may not be legal for sale or dispatch to some countries
Not allowed
- Chloroform products
- Cyanide products
- Deployed airbags, airbags not contained within the steering wheel or removable seats of passenger cars or mini-buses, and safety belt pretensioners designed to activate as part of an airbag safety system
- The following batteries including but not limited to:
- Alkaline-manganese batteries
- Mercuric oxide button batteries (button-shaped batteries typically used in vintage camera equipment)
- Zinc-carbon batteries
- Items that pose a health or safety hazard as specified by government agencies. We will remove listings at the request of government agencies
- Nitrous oxide (N2O), commonly known as laughing gas or nitrous
Why does eBay have this policy?
For health and safety reasons, we don't allow the selling of most hazardous materials on eBay. We're also doing our part to comply with government regulations and to ensure that eBay users follow all postal and transport guidelines from Royal Mail - opens in new window or tab and Gov.uk - opens in new window or tab (UK), and An Post - opens in new window or tab and Department of Transport - opens in new window or tab (Ireland).
Please note the contact information below for An Garda Siochána, the Irish national contact point for reporting suspicious transactions of explosives precursors:
- Phone:+353 1 6661782 (office hours)
- Garda 24hr Confidential Line: 1800 666 111
- 999 or 112 (in the event of a serious or imminent threat)
- Email: Liaisonandprotection_DV@garda.ie
Activity on eBay is required to follow this policy, the eBay User Agreement and all applicable laws, as well as respect the rights of third parties. If it doesn’t, eBay may take action consistent with applicable laws and the eBay User Agreement, and may even be legally required to do so. Such actions may include, as an example only: Removing the listing or other content, issuing a warning, restricting activity or account suspension.
For more information, please visit the following links:
