For Sale

CALCIUM CARBIDE 500 grams.  Now very hard to come by. 
Postage is charged at net.  I would prefer buyers to collect, but as I am in Cardigan, West Wales, sometimes in Treorchy, with the present price of petrol, it might be cheaper to post.  Larger quantities are available.  Carbide is use in caving lamps.  Good for getting rid of moles and many other purposes.  £2.00 + postage £2.12 = £4.12

I didn't think you were allowed to post carbide.

I'm pretty certain you are not.

I did not think so either, but the local Post Office sent off a packet  earlier in the week.

Did you tell 'em what it was?

Hahaha, the post office should not touch the stuff, i am waiting for the 'Postman Pat van goes bang' story in the news.

You should be ok sending carbide out by courier though, as long as the hazard form is filled in and the relevent data sheet is both attached to the exterior of the package and a copy included within.

Just make sure its well sealed, make up the return address and they'll never know. Can you imagine all the 'interesting' stuff that get sent from people on eBay without going through the proper procedures?

graham said:

Did you tell 'em what it was?

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Yes, of course.  And I put my own return address on it.  I also got a certificate of posting in case it gets lost 

You should be ok sending carbide out by courier though

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as long as it's not a pigeon they explode Well sea gull do if it's wrapped in bread

It is amazing what you are actually allowed to post!

andymorgan said:

It is amazing what you are actually allowed to post!

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It is amazing what some Post Offices think you are actually allowed to post!

[url=http://www.royalmail.com/portal/rm/content1?catId=400044&mediaId=36200675]Royal Mail web site[/url] said:

We take all legal and safety issues very seriously, and we refuse to carry any of the illegal or harmful items listed below. If they are found in the post, we can return them to the sender or dispose of them. And in some cases, the sender may face prosecution.

Flammable solids
These are solid materials which are liable to cause fire by friction, absorption of water, spontaneous chemical changes or retained heat from manufacturing or processing, or which can be readily ignited and burn vigorously. For example: Adhesives; Calcium Carbide; Cellulose Nitrate Products; Matches; Metallic Magnesium; Nitro-Cellulose Based Film; Phosphorous; Potassium; Sodium; Sodium Hydride; Zinc Powder; Zirconium Hydride etc.

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I used to work for Royal Mail as a lorry driver...
At some smaller offices the facilities were not what they should be and in bad weather the mail (in bags) is unloaded outside in the wet - and sometimes it can get very wet indeed.
I would not have been very happy at all to find something fizzing away - and if this were ever to happen in the current 'climate of fear' the sender would be in serious trouble. It is unfair on those who have to handle it without being aware of what it is.

My advice is do not send this by post - or if you do make sure the courier knows what it is, RM will not touch stuff like this for good reason.

Your best bet is caver-post - the general method by which lost tackle/kit usually finds its way back to its owner...