EU Dealers not shipping to countries outside European union.

[ruddersrangers44]

Hi everyone has anybody else encountered the above?so i'm in the UK and while browsing found a nice GM38 gas mask and Canister from a dealer based somewhere in Europe anyway with each Gasmaskset the dealer has for sale it stipulates no shipping outside EU?as i'm not clued up on this what would be the primary reason for that?as far as i'm aware it wasn't a problem before we left the EU?is it regulations or something else i'm unaware of.?if somebody could shed some light that would be very helpful.thanks as always.other militaria sites based in Holland and Belgium don't state anything like that.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I think that you will find that the seller probably means no shipping outside mainland europe and the UK. Send him an email and ask.

Cheers,
Steve

[ruddersrangers44]

Hi Steve the seller replied saying it's actually a British rule maybe temp came out this year,stating any gas mask entering the UK will be siezed by customs and destroyed not even returned to sender.guess i'm not up with some of these so-called laws/rules.but this may change at anytime.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

It's the first I've heard of it!

[stuka f]

There is a regulation about gasmaks (filters) containing asbestos and therfore forbidden.
Tought it was a European regulation.....

[ruddersrangers44]

It maybe entirely about the filter and nothing whatsoever to do with the mask & Canister.spend ages looking for a nice original set and when i do it's not allowed into the country.bloody party poopers.

[ruddersrangers44]

There is an EU regulation called REACH which restricts all movement of dangerous chemicals including asbestos.but if that's true how can a dealer say based in Holland sell to a buyer Belgium regardless of whether their both in the EU or not the fact remains the said item is still being transported.hope someone here has better info that's all i managed to find out.!

[BlackCat1982]

It sounds like the same edict that Ebay use, but if the item isn't described as what it is then they can still get through. I think patience will get you one from a UK source, they aren't uncommon.

[ruddersrangers44]

Yeah I know BC but this set was actually less priced than nearly if not all sets sold on Ebay in the UK.plus this set had the FE42 filter which isn't encountered anywhere near as much as the FE41.that why it attracted me for cost + filter.

[stuka f]

To me; owning old gasmaks is forbidden in Belgium, sine a couple of years.

I don't think any difference is made between the filter and the mask, it is considered as "one".

And here is a 2017 Dutch newspaper article about it;
Inspectie: "Pas op voor gasmaskers met asbestfilters!" - CoolSafety Blog

With a on line translator, it gives;
NEWS – 08 May 2017

It's unbelievable, but true: until well after the Second World War, asbestos was used as a filter material in gas masks. It was cheap, widely available and effective, and its health effects were not yet or not fully known. Dramatically, the use of these masks must have cost the lives of thousands of soldiers who initially thought they had survived the war – perhaps thanks to their mask. Fortunately, we now know better and asbestos filters are no longer used in dust and gas masks, but that does not mean that the danger has passed…


Asbestos filters in antique masks
The gas masks that were used during two World Wars and many other battles at the time are now sold as antique gadgets to hobbyists and collectors. There are even known situations where the masks were given to children as toys. It goes without saying that this is a major risk: inhaling through asbestos filters once can be life-threatening.
Warning
The Human Environment and Transport Inspectorate (ILT) has therefore decided to expressly warn against using the asbestos filters. These filters are contained in the filter cans, which are screwed onto the mask. The filter cans may under no circumstances be opened or otherwise processed. Anyone who owns such a mask with asbestos filters must package it securely and take it to a recognized processing location. If necessary, the ILT can impose a penalty on users.

Further research
The ILT is currently conducting research into gas masks with asbestos filters. For example, they look at where the masks come from and where they are at the moment. They are also investigating whether the crates in which the masks were transported are contaminated: they are now often used as furniture.

Would you like to know more about working safely with asbestos? You can get general information from this article, and here you can read more about the use of PPE in asbestos removal.

Source: NEN.nl