REGULATIONS UNDER THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT 15 OF 1973

These regulations under the South African Hazardous Substances Act 15 of 1973 establish a strict licensing and monitoring system for Group I hazardous substances. They mandate that only qualified entities (such as manufacturers, importers, and pharmacists) hold licenses, which must be renewed annually. The rules require rigorous record-keeping in a dedicated 'hazardous substances book' for three years, specific labelling including a skull and crossbones symbol, and strict storage requirements to keep chemicals separate from food. It also prohibits sales to minors under 16 without a written order and forbids the reuse of hazardous substance containers for food or cosmetics.

• Licences to supply Group I hazardous substances are issued by the Regional Director of Health Services and are valid only until December 31st of the year of issue. Applicants must pay a fee of R20 via a revenue stamp, and the Director will only issue a licence if it is deemed "desirable in the public interest" and the applicant is literate in an official language.
• Licences for Group I hazardous substances are restricted to specific entities: importers, manufacturers, wholesale distributors, registered pharmacists, general dealers (for Category B substances registered under the Fertilizers, Farm Feeds, Agricultural Remedies and Stock Remedies Act, 1947), and dealers of poison collars for problem animals.
• Strict storage and sale conditions apply to Group I hazardous substances: they must be kept in a securely locked room, cupboard, or enclosure separate from food or drink, and cannot be sold over counters used for food or drink. Most substances must be sold in securely closed, leak-free containers, though exceptions exist for cyanide cartridges and poison collars used for problem animals.
• Licensees selling Category A or B Group I substances must maintain a "Group I hazardous substances book" recording the date, substance name, quantity, trade name, purchaser's details, and purpose of use. This book, along with invoices and orders, must be retained for at least three years and balanced regularly on the last day of April and September each year.
• Category A Group I hazardous substances must be clearly labelled with the product and chemical names, supplier details, a skull and crossbones symbol, the words "Poison" and "Vergif", the phrase "Act 15 of 1973: Group I", and the warning "Keep out of reach of children" (and its Afrikaans translation). The symbol must cover at least one-tenth of the label surface and be at least 1 cm².
• The regulations prohibit the sale of Category A or B Group I substances to persons apparently under 16 years of age unless a written order is provided. Additionally, containers that once held Group I hazardous substances may never be used for foodstuffs or cosmetics, and vice versa.
• Inspectors taking samples of hazardous substances must notify the licensee and, where possible, divide the sample into three equal portions: one for the licensee, one for the analyst, and one for the inspector. Analysis requests by an accused person incur a fee of R50, and any person contravening these regulations faces a fine not exceeding R500.

APA

Centre for Environmental Rights (n.d.). REGULATIONS UNDER THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT 15 OF 1973. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hazardous-Substances-Regulations.pdf?x21779

Chicago

Centre for Environmental Rights. REGULATIONS UNDER THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT 15 OF 1973. n.d. https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hazardous-Substances-Regulations.pdf?x21779.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Centre for Environmental Rights |title=REGULATIONS UNDER THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT 15 OF 1973 |url=https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hazardous-Substances-Regulations.pdf?x21779 |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centreforenvironmentalrightsndregulations, author = {{Centre for Environmental Rights}}, title = {{REGULATIONS UNDER THE HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCES ACT 15 OF 1973}}, institution = {Centre for Environmental Rights}, url = {https://cer.org.za/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/Hazardous-Substances-Regulations.pdf?x21779}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }