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Hazardous Material Shipping Regulations

It is unfortunate, although not without merit, that 95% of the inorganic standards we produce have been deemed hazardous by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). This leaves the chemical industry paying significant shipping charges in respect to an inexpensive (but highly technical) consumable product.

An understanding of how these charges and regulations work will enable you to do a little planning, saving you money and frustration.

What makes it Hazardous?

The most common hazardous products we carry contain nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, hydrochloric acid, and sulfuric acid. Even products with trace amounts of these acids are considered hazardous in the United States.

If a product contains ≥ 0.1% Hydrofluoric acid, it must be placed in a separate box and container that the DOT has termed a poison pack. Poison packs consists of our product wrapped in a packing cloth and placed in a special container. The container is then put in an inner-box which is, in turn, placed into a plastic bag. Finally, the packaged material goes into the shipping box. Two 125mL bottles, one 250mL bottle, or one 500mL bottle can fit into a single poison pack container. A limit of one liter of poison-packed material can ship by air. There is no limit for ground shipping.

What's considered Non-Hazardous?

Typically, all anion chromatography standards are non-hazardous. A few of our cation standards are also non-hazardous. Most of the Water QC standards that we carry are considered non-hazardous as well. Our online catalog includes a hazardous notice with every product we sell. This notice will clearly state whether the product contains hazardous materials.

How could this affect me?

Labs often use hazardous materials as a basic part of research and manufacturing. Such materials may include laboratory chemicals, radioactive materials, compressed gases, and contaminated equipment. At times, technicians may need to ship these materials to a research facility, a colleague, another company, or even back to the manufacturer.

It's important to understand how these shipments are regulated. A failure to understand these regulations can compromise safety and result in significant fines. The DOT or international agencies such as the International Air Transport Association (IATA) regulate when a commercial carrier transports hazardous materials. The shipper must properly classify, package, document, and handle the hazardous materials to comply with shipping regulations. Often, well-meaning personnel unknowingly make shipments that violate the regulations.

Failure to comply with DOT and IATA regulations
could result in the loss of your right to ship.

• Hefty fines and imprisonment may also be served to individuals who ignore DOT and IATA regulations.
• Only trained persons and certified organizations may offer or receive shipments of hazardous materials.

Many people make the mistake of assuming that smaller quantities of hazardous materials do not pose a risk to the public. Others simply dislike paying the expensive shipping fees, which can exceed the cost of the materials.

These regulations may not seem fair, but they are mandated by Federal and international institutions. To ignore these agencies is both unsafe and unwise. Direct your attention to CFR Title 49 - Transportation, Parts 106-180 and you may be shocked to discover the seriousness of making or receiving these illegal shipments. When you do not understand and follow the complexities of these regulations, your company, as well as the community at large, can suffer considerably.

Assistance

We're happy to offer our customers technical support and expertise to aid in the underdanding of DOT and IATA regulations. Simply contact us.