# Midstate Air Freight and Logistics, Inc., DBA Callahan Air Expediters — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 11-0112  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2011-07-29

11-0112 response to Midstate Air Freight and Logistics, Inc., DBA Callahan Air Expediters concerning 173.199.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
U.S. Department Washington. DC 20590
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
JUL 20 2011
Mr. Jeremy K. Nantz
Vice President
Operations and Training
Midstate Air Freight and Logistics, Inc., DBA Callahan Air Expediters
Reference No. 11-0112
Dear Mr. Nantz:
This responds to your May 6, 2011 email requesting clarification ofthe marking requirements of
the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you inquire as
to the appropriate marking requirements for shipments ofmaterial used for diagnostic or
treatment purposes that are refrigerated with dry ice. Your questions are paraphrased and
answered as follows:
Ql. Must the packages be marked to indicate the specific material contained therein or does the
UN3373 marking alone satisfy the requirements pertaining to materials transported for diagnostic
or treatment purposes?
AI. Section 173.199(d)(2) requires that the package is marked with the wording "Carbon
dioxide, solid" or "Dry ice" and an indication that the material being refrigerated is used for
diagnostic treatment purposes. It provides the example "frozen medical specimens" as an
acceptable marking. For this reason, the UN3373 marking would not satisfy the marking
requirements for diagnostic or treatment purposes that are refrigerated with dry ice; rather, as you
suggest, a marking to indicate the specific material contained therein is required.
Q2. Does the fact that the box is being shipped to or from a clinic or laboratory adequately
indicate that the material being refrigerated is being transported for diagnostic or treatment
purposes?
A2. No. See Al above.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
~5~
Ben Supko
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

lAJin-r-e yo
~ 112, tDf
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA) $175- 2-17
From: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Sent: Friday, May 06,2011 12:49 PM
To: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
Subject: FW: compliance question
Hi Carolyn,
The caller below requested a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria
Victoria Lehman
Hazmat Information Center (HMIC)
http://phmsa.dot.gov/hazmat/info-center
(2132) 366-11335
From: Jeremy Nantz [mailto:jeremy.nantz@gmail.com]
Sent: FridaYI May 061 2011 12:19 PM
To: PHMSA HM InfoCenter
Subject: compliance question
Mr. Charles E. Betts
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Mr. Betts,
In order to resolve a long-standing area of confusion within my company, 1 need a clear, concise and definitive
answer to a regulatory question. I am hoping that you can provide that answer.
HMR section 173.217 paragraph (d) states that dry ice is excepted from the shipping paper and certification
requirements if two conditions are met:
First, that it is marked "dry ice."
Second, that it is marked with an indication that the material being refrigerated is being transported for
diagnostic or treatment purposes.
This leads me to my question, which I will pose in three parts -(1
) what is an acceptable indication that the material being refrigerated is being transported for diagnostic or
treatment purposes? Does it require a marking that uses that exact language?
(2) [YeslNo] Does the presence ofa UN3373 label alone adequately indicate that the material being refrigerated
is being transported for diagnostic or treatment purposes? (One of my managers in Arkansas maintains that it
does not, since he points out that it is possible for a UN3373 shipment to contain material that is NOT being
transported for diagnostic or treatment purposes.)
1

<<<PAGE 3>>>

(3) [YeslNo] Does the fact that the box is being shipped to or from a clinic or laboratory alone adequately
indicate that the material being refrigerated is being transported for diagnostic or treatment purposes? (This
same manager maintains that it does not, since he once again points out that it is possible for a shipment to or
from a clinic or laboratory to contain material that is NOT being transported for diagnostic or treatment
purposes.)
This issue has been vigorously disputed within the shipping and receiving department, especially in Little
Rock, ever since 2008. An authoritative resolution in the form of an official government interpretation will
restore peace to our little company!
Thank you so much for your assistance on this matter; it is greatly appreciated!
Yours very sincerely,
Jeremy K. Nantz
Vice President
Operations and Training
Midstate Air Freight and Logistics, Inc.
DBA Callahan Air Expediters
2

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110112.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `2b7b5aef79c121fec90cb3c8f035c418ccde0d9283a608054bdb60d6895be489`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T23:05:24.630Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-11-0112`

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