# Concorde Battery — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 12-0180  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2012-10-25

12-0180 response to Concorde Battery concerning 173.159.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
Washington. DC 20590
OCT 2 5 2012
Mr. Steve Delmar
Director of Environmental Health and Safety
C oncorde Battery
2009 San Bernadino Rd
West Covina, CA 91790
Reference No.: 12-0 180
Dear Mr. Delmar:
This is in response to your August 12, 2012 letter requesting clarification on marking
requirements for non-spillable batteries under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR;
49 CFR Parts 171-180). You present a scenario where non-spillable batteries are marked
"NONSPILLABLE'' or "NONSPILLABLE BATTERY" both on the battery itself and its
outer packaging in accordance with the packaging exception provided in § 173 .159a( c )(2).
The batteries are then palletized, and in the process of creating this palletized load the
"NONSPILLABLE" marking is covered up with corrugated sheeting and/or stretch wrap.
You ask ifthe outer pallet wrapping material must also be marked "NONSPILLABLE."
The answer is no. In the scenario you describe, your properly marked and packaged non-
spillable batteries are then consolidated on a skid using corrugated sheeting and/or stretch
wrap. There is no requirement in the HMR to carry the "NONSPILLABLE'' marking over
to the outside of the corrugated sheeting or stretch wrap.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.

<<<PAGE 2>>>

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Concorde Battery Corporation ll- D/90
U.S. DOT
PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Attn: Information Center
East Building
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Sir/Madam,
Monday, August 13,2012
The purpose of this letter is to request clarification of marking requirements for Non-
spillable batteries under 49 CFR § 173.159a( c )(2).
The regulation requires the battery and outer packaging to be plainly and durably marked
"NONSPILLABLE" or "NONSPILLABLE BATTERY". Based on the definition of
outer packaging, we interpret this to mean that only the outer carton housing each
individual battery be clearly and durably marked.
If the shipper chooses to palletize multiple Non-spillable batteries for shipment and cover
up the "NONSPILLABLE" marking on each individual carton with large corrugated
sheeting and/or stretch wrap, does this outer pallet wrapping material also need to be
marked "NONSPILLABLE"?
Please see attached example photograph which shows a pallet of Non-spillable batteries
covered with corrugated sheeting for additional protection during shipment.
Sil~Cfrely,
.;
j
Steve Delmar
Director of Environmental Health & Safety
Concorde Battery
2009 San Bernadino Road
West Covina, CA 91790
(626) 813-1234 ext. 252
2009 San Bernardino Road, West Covina, CA 91790 • Tele: 626-813-1234 • Fax: 626-813-1235

<<<PAGE 3>>>

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## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2012/120180.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `c902548b225031f6ad96673dc20fbb1bf25f41cfeaf3270c2bf718531519aaf1`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-27T10:04:34.864Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-12-0180`

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