§229F Definitions

Summary

Defines the main words used in the chapter, like chemical weapon, toxic chemical, precursor, person, and United States. A chemical weapon can be a toxic chemical and its building blocks (unless they are being used for an allowed use in a matching type and amount), a bomb or device built to spread those chemicals, or equipment made just to use those bombs or devices. The Chemical Weapons Convention means the treaty called the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, opened for signature on January 13, 1993. A key component of a binary or multicomponent system is the precursor that mostly decides how toxic the final mix will be and that reacts quickly with the other parts. National of the United States has the same meaning as in section 101(a)(22) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1101(a)(22)). Person means people or many kinds of organizations, including businesses, trusts, governments, and other entities in the United States. Precursor means any chemical that takes part at any step in making a toxic chemical and includes key components; identified precursors are listed in the Convention’s Annex on Chemicals. Purposes not prohibited are peaceful uses, protection against toxic chemicals or weapons, U.S. military uses not depending on chemical toxicity, and law enforcement (including riot control and capital punishment). Toxic chemical means any chemical that can cause death, temporary disability, or lasting harm to people or animals; listed toxic chemicals are in the Convention’s Annex. United States includes the States, the District of Columbia, commonwealths, territories, possessions, and places under U.S. control, including any places in paragraph (41) of section 40102 of title 49, any civil or public aircraft defined in paragraphs (17) and (37) of section 40102 of title 49, and any U.S. vessel as defined in section 70502(b) of title 46.