# Veolia ES Technical Services LLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation **Citation:** 13-0238 **Type / status:** guidance / guidance **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2014-02-05 13-0238 response to Veolia ES Technical Services LLC concerning 172.406. ## Document text <<>> U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE Washington, D.C. 20590 FEB 0 5 2014 Mr. Richard Finnegan Veolia ES Technical Services LLC 398 Cedar Hill Street Marlboro, MA 01752 Ref. No. 13-0238 Dear Mr. Finnegan: This responds to your November 15, 2013 request for clarification of the labeling requirements under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CPR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you seek clarification on the requirement for a contrasting background, or a dotted or solid line outer border, specified under § 172.406( d). According to your letter, a third party wants to place labels for Division 6.1 and Class 9 materials on non-bulk packages that are white in color. Since both the non-bulk packages and Division 6.1 and Class 9 labels are white in color, the labels do not contrast with the background. You ask if a label with a dashed line outer border would comply with the requirements specified in§ 172.406(d). Based on your scenario and enclosed pictures oflabels, it is the opinion of this office that your labels comply with § 172.406( d) which requires each label to be printed on or affixed to a background of contrasting color, or have a dotted or solid line outer border. I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office at (202) 366-8553. Sincerely, Robert Benedict Chief, Standards Development Branch Standards and Rulemaking Division <<>> T. Glenn Foster Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards Standards and Rulemaking Division ATTN: PHH-10~ East Building 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE. Washington, DC 20590-001 Infocntr@DOT.Gov November 15, 2013 Re: Request for a Letter oflnterpretation regarding 172.406(d) Dear Mr. Foster: We would like to request PHMSA's interpretation of 49 CFR 172.406(d). Enclosed are two copies of labels (Toxic 6.1 and Class 9) that have been custom made by a label manufacturer at the request of a third party. The labels are black and white. The third party would like to use the labels when offering hazardous materials for transportation in compliance with 49 CFR 172.400 labeling requirements. The third party would like place the labels on non-bulk packages such as pails or drums that are white in color. In accordance with 40 CFR 172.406(d), since the non-bulk containers are white in color, and the requirement of having a contrasting background can't be met, the third party is questioning if a dashed line (as pictured in the enclosed labels) outer border is allowable according to the statement" ... or must have a dotted or solid line outer border." To summarize our request: Does a "dashed outer border" on a label comply with the requirement of a "dotted or solid line outer border" for 172.406( d)? We appreciate your assistance with this question. If any further information if required, please contact me at (508) 804-4814. Sincerely, £'? A 1 , / :/, li/··_p .~/ .· 1'- " {~~~.U~ -~' ~~--¥1.--~ Richard Fmnegan v Environmental Health and Safety Manager Veolia ES Technical Services LLC Veo!~a En'tti~"o~·g·nrz:rstai Senr':.drc~s SolutJ~'JrtS Z~98 C-ed;-;1r HNH ~treet 1 f~.,-"Wt:t:rH:jotoi ~1if:..\ OE.11 Veo!!aES. corn 7 ~:2 ----- ---·------ --~-------·--·-·-·--~------ ·-·------·-···--~~--~- <<>> 101mm 3 101mm TOXIC www.labelmaster.com LABELMASTER® (800) 621-5808 <<>> 101mm '~ !I 0}~ il "---------~--' ..... i I {BOll) !J21-5808 .. --·---- E e ,... - ..... ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa` - SHA-256: `6c0e885dfc9d360f332844e676855838663040cbc7b1ef87245e82b2c45b4b1b` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T02:54:26.881Z - Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-13-0238` ### Source metadata ```json { "materialSubtype": "interpretation", "interpretationArea": "hazardous_materials", "representation": "full_text_from_official_pdf", "companies": [ "Veolia ES Technical Services LLC" ], "individuals": [ "Mr. Richard Finnegan" ], "refIds": [ "13-0238" ], "catalogDates": [ "2014-02-05" ], "catalogParts": [ 172 ], "catalogRowCount": 1, "sourceRecordUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/node/51951" ], "linkedAttachmentUrls": [], "unavailableResponseUrls": [], "duplicateRepresentationUrls": [], "citedSections": [ "172.406", "172.400" ], "catalogPageUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulations/title49/section/172406" ], "pdfUrls": [ "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130238.pdf" ], "representations": [ { "viewUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130238.pdf", "detailUrl": null, "detailHtmlPath": null, "pdfUrl": "https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130238.pdf", "pdfArtifactPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/13-0238-26fb4d734f.pdf", "pdfArtifactSha256": "1e0b1260f73dca1e932d328202cdc565bc46f95f3dd30627b7ae4c8fe1049359", "extractedTextPath": "data/sources/phmsa-interpretations/13-0238-26fb4d734f.v2.txt", "extractedTextSha256": "6f7ec17a93119519f328d0a3e180f8540929213658ac9c967e16cce88b425d72", "pageCount": 4, "extractionVersion": 2 } ], "caveat": "Interpretations apply regulations to the facts presented and do not create independently enforceable requirements.", "jurisdiction": "US" } ```