A chemist at Sweden's Uppsala University received a 2-kilogram shipment of fine sand for use in experiments by first-year students. The sand was shipped along with a five-page Product Description Leaflet that advised use of protective equipment such as a mask and goggles when handling it, recommending the following procedure in case of a spill: "Sweep up and place the substance in a bag, for transport to garbage collection and disposal. Ventilate the area and clean the site after all material has been removed.... Bury in site designated for disposal of chemical and dangerous substances." The toxicological report identified crystalline quartz (sand) as "carcinogenic or potentially carcinogenic by IARC Monographies, the American National Toxicology Program," and it was the supplier's duty to report that "According to California Proposition 65: this product is or contains substance(s) known within the state of California to cause cancer."

[Ed.: Similar warnings accompany shipments of purified dihydrogen monoxide, a common industrial solvent.]

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