# DRMS-VSE — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 12-0165  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2012-08-30

12-0165 response to DRMS-VSE concerning 173.22.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
AUG 3 0 2012
Mr. Sandy Clark
DRMS-VSE
700 E. Roth Rd., Bldg. S-3
French Camp, CA 95231
Ref. No. 12-0165
Dear Mr. Clark:
This responds to your August 2, 2012 request for clarification on the classification of aerosols
under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you
ask if the proper shipping name, "UN 1950, Aerosols, flammable, n.o.s. (engine starting fluid)
(each not exceeding 1 L capacity), 2.1" is used only for engine starting fluid or may it be used
with any hazardous material aerosol that contains toluene, acetone, or isobutene.
Section 173.22 states that it is the shipper's responsibility to properly classify a hazardous
material. This office does not perform that function. However, upon review of the information
you supplied, it is the opinion of this office, that the most appropriate proper shipping description
for aerosols used as engine starting f1uid is "UN 1950, Aerosols, f1ammable, n.o.s. (engine
starting fluid), (each not exceeding 1 L capacity), 2.1." There are five different entries in the
Hazardous Materials Table (HMT; § 172.101) for UN 1950. Therefore, the most appropriate
proper shipping description for aerosols containing toluene, acetone, or isobutene not used as
engine starting fluid is "UN 1950, Aerosols, flammable (each not exceeding 1 L capacity), 2.1."
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, contact this office at (202)
366-8553.
Sincerely,
Robeti Benedict
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
Attachments:
INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Friday, August 03, 2012 3:31 PM
Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
FW: PSN question
How to UNZIP.html; SecureZIP Attachments.zip
11.- D Jfo5
Hi Carolyn,
This caller requested his letter be submitted as a formal letter of interpretation.
Thanks,
Victoria
-----Original Message-----
From: Clark, Sandy DLA CIV DISPOSITION SERVICES [mailto:Sandy.Ciark@dla.mil]
Sent: Thursday, August 02, 2012 1:50PM
To: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Subject: PSN question
Completed by AE via phone on 8/3/12 at 2:15 left vm
Alcon,
The title 49 has a proper shipping name in the HMT of "Aerosols, flammable, n.o.s. (engine starting fluid) (each not
exceeding 1 L capacity), 2.1, UN1950.
Question, is this shipping name only to be used with "engine starting fluid"?
Or can it be used with any H/ /M aerosol i.e. that contains items like "toluene, acetone or isobutane" as its hazardous
technical name?
Thanks in advance,
Mr. S. L. CLARK, JR.
E.P.S., C.O.R., E.M.R., T.A.S.O.
WK# {209) 982-2147 DSN 462
FAX# {209) 982-2095 DSN 462
Reputation is what men and women think of us; character is what GOD and Angels know of us ...
1

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120165.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `e4dc8d936018c694202bcb3aee0bfcccf748b450ca39a89d26fb8765651ee65e`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T19:18:30.204Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-12-0165`

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