# Fuchs Lubricants Co. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 16-0140  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2016-12-22

16-0140 response to Fuchs Lubricants Co. concerning 171.8, 173.150.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue; SE
Washington, DC 20590
DEC 2 2 2016
Mr. Tony Celo
Product Stewardship Specialist
Fuchs Lubricants Co.
17050 Lathrop A venue
Harvey, IL 60426
Reference No. 16-0140
Dear Mr. Celo:
This letter is in response to your August 24, 2016, email and subsequent phone conversation ,
requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180)
applicable to combustible liquids. Specifically, you ask whether a non-bulk package reclassified
as a combustible liquid may display the identification number and proper shipping name marking
when transported domestically in accordance with § 173. l 50(f). You further explain the package
is classified as a flammable liquid when transported internationally.
Section 173.1 SO(f) specifies that a flammable liquid with a flash point at or above 100 °F and
below 140 °F may be reclassed as a combustible liquid except when transported by vessel or
aircraft. Combustible liquids in non-bulk packages are excepted from the requirements of the
HMR (including marking and labeling) unless they meet the definition in § 171 .8 for a
"hazardous waste" or "hazardous substance."
Although it is not in violation of the HMR to display relevant markings or labels even when not
required, please note this may create confusion in the enforcement or emergency response
community. Such confusion may result in issuance of a ticket or frustration of your shipment.
To avoid this confusion, we suggest one of the following options:
1. Remove, obliterate, or securely cover the identification number and proper shipping
2. name; or
Leave the marking in place and provide an indication on the package or bill of lading that
the material is not regulated for ground transportation in the United States.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
T. Glenn Foster
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Goodall, Shante CTR (PHMSA)
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject: j l_p - 0 / l{O
Rivera, Jordan CTR (PHMSA)
Wednesday, August 24, 2016 4:21 PM
Hazmat Interps
FW: 49 CFR 173.lSO(f) flammable/combustible liquid exception
Hi Shante/ Alice,
Please submit this as a letter of interpretation. Mr. Celo spoke with Jodi and Isaac.
Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thanks,
Jordan
From: Tony Celo [mailto:tcelo@fuchsus.com]
Sent: Wednesday, August 24, 2016 2:32 PM
To: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
Subject: 49 CFR 173.lSO(f) flammable/combustible liquid exception
Hello,
We are requesting a letter of interpretation regarding the flammable/combustible liquid exception for liquids with a
flashpoint above 100°F. Under 49 CFR 173.lSO(f), flammable liquids can be treated as not regulated when shipped in
non-bulk containers(< 119 gallons) via ground transport. Product that we ship with this exception indicate that they are
non-hazardous. As part of our GHS label we have the UN/NA 1993 shipping description if it applies to a flammable liquid.
Our transporters have gotten confused when they saw the UN/NA 1993 shipping description on our products even if
they fall under the exception. We would like to keep the UN/NA 1993 shipping description on our products because we
are not sure what our customer will do with the product. If the customer moves the flammable liquid out of the country
it no longer falls under the exception and needs to be identified as a dangerous good. Our system that generates our
GHS labels automatically puts the UN/NA 1993 shipping description on our labels and removing the phrase would be a
burdensome. Our hazardous material transporters, such as UPS and FedEx, have stopped our shipments because they
are confused by the UN/NA 1993 shipping description on products that fall under the exception. We would like some
guidance on this topic. Can we have the UN/NA 1993 shipping description on our non-hazardous products under the 49
. CFR 173.lSO(f) combustible liquid exemption? If it is okay, we could provide the letter of interpretation to our
transporters to clarify that we are in compliance with DOT under the exception.
Regards,
Tony Celo
Product Stewardship Specialist
Fuchs Lubricants Co.
17050 Lathrop Avenue
Harvey, IL 60426
Office: 708-225-6859
tcelo@fuchsus.com
www.fuchsus.com
This e-mail may contain confidential an.d/or privileged information of
FUCHS PETROLUB SE and/or its affiliates. If you are not the intended
recipient or have received this e-mail in error. we kindly ask you to notify

<<<PAGE 3>>>

the sender immediately and to delete this e-mail and any attachment
from your system Any unauthorized copying, disclosure or distribution of
the material in this e-mail is strictly forbidden and may cause liability.
Please be advised my email address has changed to:
tcelo@fuchsus.com.
Please make sure you change it in your address books.
Thank You.
Tony Celo
FUCHS Lubricants Co.
2

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2016/160140.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `35c8b3dbd027f349a66448533f548783194a31baa13a6a614609d91f84d7b242`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T13:51:51.475Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-16-0140`

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