Prohibition on Co-Locating Ethyl Alcohol and Methanol Warehouses
New Regulations for Ethyl Alcohol and Methanol Warehouses
The Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry has introduced new regulations for producer and importer companies of ethyl alcohol and methanol regarding the opening of domestic warehouses. The Communiqué on the Procedures and Principles for Ethyl Alcohol and Methanol Producer and Importer Companies to Open Domestic Warehouses has now come into effect after being published in the Official Gazette.
The aim of the Communiqué is to establish procedures and regulations for companies involved in ethyl alcohol production, distribution, and importation, who wish to carry out interim storage outside the production facility or before customs procedures are completed.
According to the new regulations, producer companies and importer companies must obtain permission from the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry to open a warehouse for the temporary storage of ethyl alcohol or methanol. Ethyl alcohol producer and importer companies are only allowed to open denatured packaged, coated, or bulk ethyl alcohol warehouses, while methanol importer companies can only open packaged, coated, or bulk methanol warehouses. It is also specified that ethyl alcohol and methanol warehouses cannot be opened at the same address.
Furthermore, the warehouses will only be designated for the storage of ethyl alcohol or methanol, and no other activities or storage will be permitted on the premises. Each storage tank must be specifically allocated for the storage of denatured bulk ethyl alcohol or methanol, and the total tank capacity cannot exceed 150 cubic meters or be less than 60 cubic meters.
Companies wishing to open an ethyl alcohol or methanol warehouse must submit their requests to the Tobacco and Alcohol Department (TADAB) along with relevant information and documents. If the warehouse meets the criteria, the company will be granted permission to open the warehouse, and their distribution certificate of conformity will be amended.
In the event of non-compliance with the regulations, companies will be given a grace period of 90 days to rectify the issues. Additionally, the closing and transfer of warehouses will require permission from the Ministry.
Overall, these new regulations aim to ensure the safe and appropriate storage of ethyl alcohol and methanol in compliance with government standards and regulations. Failure to adhere to these guidelines within the specified time frame may result in the cancellation of warehouse opening permits.
