Unstable picric acid made safe in Waterford

The army bomb disposal team was called in earlier, after a quantity of unstable picric acid was discovered in Co Waterford.

It was discovered during a routine audit of chemicals at the Lancaster Laboratories in Dungarvan.

The alarm was raised just before 4pm and the chemical was removed to waste ground where a controlled explosion was carried out.

Picric acid is routinely used in laboratoris but can crystallise and become unstable and sensitive to shock or friction over time.