A LARGE quantity of explosive acid once used to make bombs has still not been removed from an industrial site where it was found.

Barrels full of picric acid totalling 300kg were discovered at a warehouse in Bellbrook Lane Industrial Estate, Uckfield, last month by the unit’s owner, who asked an expert to identify the chemicals.

Kevin Benton, whose pension fund ACP owns the unit, suspects that former renter of the site, Acquascience Limited, is responsible for the materials left behind.

Mr Benton said: “We had six police cars, the fire service, bomb squad and Environment Agency officials at the site after we found the chemicals.

“I had employed a chemist to see what was there.

“It was only as he was packing up that we stumbled across the acid.”

Chloroform, formaldehyde, denatured alcohol, xylene and methanol were among the other chemicals found on the site by chemist Andrew Smith, of Fergus Smith Special Waste Services Ltd.

The site also contained what experts believe to be between 6,000 and 8,000 NHS test pots, carrying patient information, including addresses, dates of birth, and telephone numbers.

Mr Benton felt there had been a “massive breach” of patient confidentiality within the NHS after the pots were discovered.

Wealden District Council said on Friday that it was seeking a court order calling on the owners of the site to remove the chemicals but the initial hearing was contested and adjourned until this week.

The council said the trustees of the pension fund were responsible for removing the chemicals and were liable for any costs and damages to others.

On Wednesday, a council spokesman said: “After taking further legal advice Wealden District Council is not proceeding with the court action to seek to enforce the removal of hazardous chemicals from the unoccupied premises at the Bellbrook Industrial Estate, Uckfield, as it is unlikely to be successful.

“There remains no immediate danger from the chemicals.

“The contents of the premises remain the responsibility of the owner of the site, the ACP pension fund, which is responsible for removing the chemicals and is liable for any costs and damages to others.

“We are continuing to monitor the situation with our partners, including the Environment Agency and East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service.”

Mr Benton’s legal advisers told him liability to remove the chemicals lies with the site’s administrators.

Police and Ministry of Defence officials have investigated the site and declared it safe.

The Environment Agency said that in September it sent a “stop and remove” guidance letter to Acquascience after it was reported there was waste dumped there.

The London Gazette shows administrators were appointed at Acquascience Ltd on October 24.

The administrators for Acquascience said it was the land owner’s responsibility to remove the chemicals from the site. High Weald Lewes Haven’s Clinical Commissioning Group is investigating the discovery of the test pots on behalf of the NHS.