# Western Poly Drums, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 00-0024  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2000-03-15

00-0024 response to Western Poly Drums, Inc. concerning 178.604.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

..
U.S.Department
of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
20590
MAR 1 5 2000
Mr. Floyd A. Whitney
President
Ref. No: 00-0024
Western Poly Drums, Inc.
8727 Rochester Ave.
Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91729-4200
Dear Mr. Whitney:
This is in response to your letter of January 25, 2000, requesting clarification of the requirements for
leakproof testing of non-bulk packagings under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR
parts 171-180). Specifically you ask whether you may follow the methods outlined in Appendix B to
Part 178--Alternative Leakproofness Test Methods, as an alternative to the testing procedure required
by § 178.604.
The answer is yes. As stated in § 178.604(d) Test method, "other methods, at least equally effective,
may be used in accordance with appendix B of this part."
I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
000024

<<<PAGE 2>>>

POLY
FIBRE
STEEL
WESTERN
POLY
WHY NOT PLACE YOUR NEXT ORDER ON-LINE?
www.WesternPoly.com
DRUMS, INC.
A COMPLETE LINE OF U.N. CONTAINERS & TANKS
Hattie L. Mitchell
Research and Special Program
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20590
January 10, 2000
Subject: Steel drum re-con leek proof test
Dear, Hattie L. Mitchell
Western Poly Drums, Inc. is going into re-con steel drums business.
As I understand CFR 49, #173.28 & 178.604 (d) leak proof test I can use
Ne are also going to have the drums third party tested each year
Appendix B (2) and (3) is this correct
Please let me know as soon as possible if I am correct.
Floyd A Whitney
President
8727 ROCHESTER AVE., RANCHO CUCAMONGA, CA 91729-4200 (909) 466-9927 FAX 945-3075
-

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000024.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `d34971e735fee4bc7f8b299a661680bb00a746c3dba4f397820b255235ba73d9`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-24T05:14:04.225Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-00-0024`

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