On Wed, 12 Jul 2006 01:13:12 +0100,
Dirk Bruere at NeoPax
wrote in :
Don W wrote:
On 11 Jul 2006, Ron wrote:

Don W wrote:
I can get a bottle of 50% isopropyl alcohol here in the UK from a
dicount store for about 0.70 UK Pounds (approx 1 US dollar). I
use it for general household cleaning.

The bottle is 473 ml (1 US pint). The 50% is by volume.

Alcohol is so heavily taxed in the UK and this is particularly
cheap. I suspect that the price of 0.70 UKP many not cover the
cost of the UK tax due on it.

Does anyone know how much UK tax should be paid on 230 ml of
isopropyl alcohol?

Only the dreaded VAT. No duty on IPA - 'cos no one drinks it. Had
it been ethanol.....

No duty?

U pay about £4.50 for 500ml of isopropyl at my local chemist. I
thought the high-ish price was mainly for duty.

Am I being way over-charged?

Bulk cost per tonne is £380 ie 38p per litre
http://ed.icheme.org/costchem.html

Actually, since its specific density is ~0.79, that's more like
30p/litre.
http://www.chemicalland21.com/petroc...SOPROPANOL.htm

Which does look very attractive compared to petrol prices...
Still, methanol is 13p per litre.

Similar density, so closer to 10p. Admittedly, those prices are from
a 2002 survey, so probably a bit out of date now, especially where oil-derived
chemicals are concerned.

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KotPT -- "for stupidity above and beyond the call of duty".