# Department of Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 02-0227  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2003-03-17

02-0227 response to Department of Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey concerning 177.848.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
MAR 17 2003
Mr. Robert Gomez
Ref. No. 02-0227
Hazardous Waste-Transportation Oversight Unit
Department of Environmental Protection
P.O. Box 407
State of New Jersey
Trenton, New Jersey 08625-0407
Dear Mr. Gomez:
This responds to your August 26, 2002 letter requesting clarification on segregation requirements
under § 177.848(e)(3) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you asked whether Class 8, Class 3, and Division 4.1 material may be loaded on the
same transport vehicle under § 177.848(e)(3) of the HMR.
According to your letter a violation was issued to a hazardous waste carrier citing requirements in
§ 177.848(d) for transporting and storing one container of Class 8 hazardous waste adjacent two
containers of Division 4.1 hazardous waste and several containers of Class 3 materials. The carrier
responded to the violation stating that the constituents of the Class 8 and Class 4 materials would
not react if commingled; therefore, they are in compliance with the segregation requirements in
§ 177.848(e)(3).
A representative from our Hazardous Materials Information Center (HMIC) advised you that the
exception in § 177.848(e)(3) applies only when the shipper loads the truck and when a truckload
shipment of Class 4, 5, and 8 material are the only hazard classes on the truck. Therefore, you are
requesting written clarification on § 177.848(e)(3) regarding truckload shipments and Class 4, 5,
and 8 material, and how it applies when the shipment also contains a Class 3 hazardous waste.
Section 177.848(e)(3) states that Class 8 liquids may not be loaded above or adjacent to Division
4.1 or Class 5 materials. Section 177.848(e)(3) also states that shippers may load truckload
shipments of such materials together when it is known that the mixture of contents would not cause a
fire or a dangerous evolution of heat or gas. The term truckload as used in this section means a
shipment of hazardous materials loaded into a transport vehicle by a single shipper. Shipments of
hazardous materials offered to a carrier by different shippers and loaded into a transport vehicle are
not considered to be a truckload. Therefore, a carrier that receives Division 4.1 and Class 8
materials from different shippers must segregate the materials in accordance with § 177.848(d). An
848
020227
111.

<<<PAGE 2>>>

acceptable loading plan under the HMR, would include separating the Class 8 and Division 5.1
materials by using Division 4.1 and Class 3 packaged materials between them for separation and
segregation. This would also ensure that the Division 5.1 and Class 3 materials remained separated
from each other as required by § 177.848.
I hope this further clarifies requirements in § 177.848(e)(3) and answers your inquiry.
Sincerely,
become to Belf
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Boothe
5177.848
segregation
State of Weta Jersey
James E. McGreevey
02 - 8227
Governor
Department of Environmental Protection
Bradley M. Campbell
Commissioner
Bureau of Hazardous Waste Compliance & Enforcement-Central
Waste Compliance & Enforcement & Release Prevention
Trenton, NJ 08625-0407
P.O. Box 407
Fax. (609) 588-2444
Tel. (609) 584-4250
August 26, 2002
Director of Office of Hazardous Materials Standards, DHM-10
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
400 Seventh Street, SW, Rm. 8422
USDOT-RSPA
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
Re: 49 CFR 177.848(c)3
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
This Department inspects hazardous waste transporters in New Jersey and needs clarification of the instructions
under the letter "O" on the Hazardous Materials Load and Segregation Chart (chart). Recently, an NJDEP inspector
inspected a vehicle storing a shroment of hazardous waste. The shipment contained one Class 8 container. fortv-
seven Division 4.1 containers and thirty-two Class 3 containers.
Class 8 hazardous waste adjacent to two containers of Division 4.1 hazardous waste. The carrier responded to the
A violation was issued to the hazardous waste carrier citing 177.848(d) for transporting and storing one container of
therefore, they are in compliance with the instructions under the letter "O" of the chart.
Violation stating that the constituents of the Class 8 and Division 4.1 wastes would not react if commingled,
The DOT Hotline was contacted regarding this matter and received an unofficial interpretation. Ben Supko,
Information Specialist explained that the exception to the letter "O" applies only when the shipper loads the truck
and when a truckload shipment of Class 4, 5 and 8 material are the only hazard classes on the truck.
specifically where it discusses truckload shipments and Class 4, 5 and 8 material. Also, because the subject
Since a Notice of Violation was issued, we are requesting an official interpretation of 49 CFR 177.848(e)3,
shipment contained a Class 3 hazardous waste does the exception still apply to this situation?
-
You for your hequestions, please contact me at 856-614-3650 or Paula Hanley-Tagliaferi at 609-588-4487. Thank
Sincerely,
Robut Some
lazardous Waste - Transportation Oversight Un
obert Gomez, CHMM, Acting Superviso
New Jersey is an Equai Opportunity Employer
Recycled Paper

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020227.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `c74e688728ca377e168169e71f8e3e9b1327b79c3d3deed34a5c9d124438f0ce`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T13:13:58.658Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-02-0227`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "materialSubtype": "interpretation",
  "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials",
  "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf",
  "companies": [
    "Department of Environmental Protection, State of New Jersey"
  ],
  "individuals": [
    "Robert Gomez"
  ],
  "refIds": [
    "02-0227"
  ],
  "catalogDates": [
    "2003-03-17"
  ],
  "catalogParts": [
    177
  ],
  "catalogRowCount": 1,
  "sourceRecordUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/58111"
  ],
  "linkedAttachmentUrls": [],
  "unavailableResponseUrls": [],
  "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [],
  "citedSections": [
    "177.848",
    "177.848(e)(3)"
  ],
  "catalogPageUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/177848"
  ],
  "pdfUrls": [
    "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020227.pdf"
  ],
  "representations": [
    {
      "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020227.pdf",
      "detailUrl": null,
      "detailHtmlPath": null,
      "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020227.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/02-0227-27c6685ee5.pdf",
      "pdfArtifactSha256": "4c4fc91ad453cadbce7c16ccc1af5c0c0461110e50f26c679a2e7431b18b5cb8",
      "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/02-0227-27c6685ee5.v2.txt",
      "extractedTextSha256": "8080d6fbb0ad399949332d48ee374fc0ed8d9236a561191d4379a69a6c6a84dd",
      "pageCount": 3,
      "extractionVersion": 2
    }
  ],
  "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.",
  "jurisdiction": "US"
}
```
