Martechnic says that in June 2000 it "submitted a new formulation of its product WIO - a dilution of calcium hydride - to the German licensing authorities BAM for certification. In August 2000 a certificate was issued to Martechnic authorising the company to ship the goods as non-hazardous material.
"This situation continued until June 2003 when the Hamburg police entered Martechnic's premises to inspect the health and safety conditions and procedures and to obtain samples of the WIO product," it says.
"Fifteen days after this action, the authorities advised that they had reclassified WIO as hazardous material moving it into category 4.3 packing group 1 UN 3148 for shipping purposes."
The company adds: "Martechnic wishes to state categorically that it has at all times complied with the procedures and regulations laid down by BAM and other authorities." It says it suspended shipments between the inspection and the reclassification.
Source: Flight International
