# Campbell’s Express — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 25-0074  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2025-09-12

25-0074 response to Campbell’s Express concerning 172.201, 172.202.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
September 12, 2025
Sam Klein
Chief Information Officer
Campbell’s Express
P.O. Box 119
Pitman, NJ 08071
Reference No. 25-0074
Dear Mr. Klein:
This letter is in response to your May 28, 2025 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the proper display of
hazardous material information on a shipping paper. Specifically, you are seeking confirmation
of your understanding of how information should be provided on a bill of lading (i.e., shipping
paper) containing hazardous material information for “UN3091, Lithium metal batteries
contained in equipment including lithium alloy batteries, 9” and “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries
contained in equipment including lithium ion polymer batteries, 9.” You provide a copy of a
hazardous materials shipping paper that lists both materials “UN3091” and “UN3481” and ask
several questions regarding this document.
We have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:
Q1. A customer is packing “UN3481” and “UN3091” together in the same packaging. The
shipping paper, as shown in your incoming letter, represents both UN identification
numbers (UN ID) on the same line. Should the UN ID (as well as the proper shipping
name (PSN)) of each hazardous material be displayed on separate lines on the shipping
paper?
A1. Yes. The hazardous material shipping description on a shipping paper must show
associated information, such as the UN ID and PSN, for each hazardous material on
separate lines (e.g., separate table entries). Although this is not explicitly stated in Part
172, Subpart C, each hazardous material has its own entry on a shipping paper to avoid
confusion about the information presented for emergency response and enforcement
personnel.

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Q2. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, lists the total combined weight of
both hazardous materials in the single description. Should the weight for each UN ID
(i.e., each hazardous material) be listed separately on the shipping paper?
A2. Yes. Section 172.202, at paragraphs (a)(5) and (6), instructs a person to include the total
quantity of each hazardous material listed on the shipping paper.
Q3. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, includes a column captioned
“HM” to identify a hazardous material but no “X” is included next to the hazardous
materials description. Should there be an “X” in the “HM” column for the hazardous
material?
A3. No. Section 172.201(a) provides instruction on how to represent a hazardous material on
a shipping paper when both hazardous materials and non-hazardous materials are
described on the same shipping paper. The options are to enter the hazardous material
first, enter the hazardous material information in a contrasting color (or highlighted), or
identify the hazardous material entry with an “X” placed in a column captioned “HM.” In
the scenario presented in your incoming email, the hazardous material is listed first on the
shipping paper, so there is no need to place an “X” in a column captioned “HM.”
Q4. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, does not specify the package type
for the hazardous materials either before or after the hazardous materials description.
Instead, the shipping paper contains a column captioned “CartonCnt” indicating the
number of packages. Is this sufficient for indicating the number and type of packages as
required in§ 172.202(a)(7)?
A4. No. The column captioned “CartonCnt” is not sufficient for indicating the type of
packages for each hazardous material shipping description. In accordance with
§ 172.202(a)(7), the number and type of packages must be indicated in the shipping
description for the hazardous material. The type of packages must be indicated by
description of the package (for example, “12 drums”). Further, the type of packaging may
be entered in any appropriate manner before or after the basic description and
abbreviations may be used to express types of packagings.
I hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
Dirk DerKinderen
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemaking Division

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Baker, Y.
25-0074
From: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)
To: Baker, Yul (PHMSA)
Cc: Hazmat Interps
Subject: FW: Letter of Interpretation
Date: Thursday, May 29, 2025 14:39:53
Attachments: Sample Hazmat BOL.pdf
Hi Yul,
Please see the below interpretation request and attachment. Let us know if you need anything.
Sincerely,
Janaye
From: Sam Klein <sklein@campbellsexpress.com>
Sent: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 4:43 PM
To: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>
Subject: Letter of Interpretation
You don't often get email from sklein@campbellsexpress.com. Learn why this is important
CAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do
not click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content
is safe.
Good Afternoon,
I am requesting a letter of interpretation regarding the attached bill of lading documentation.
1. 2. 3. 4. We have a customer who is packing UN3481 Lithion Ion Batteries and UN3091 Lithium Metal
Batteries together. They are representing both Hazard ID’s on the same line. However, based
upon my research and training, I believe each Hazard ID has to be on a separate line. Can you
confirm whether they should be listed separately?
On the BOL, the total weight is listed for the single, combined line of hazmat, as opposed to
individual weights for each of the appropriate Hazard ID’s. Can you confirm if the weight
should be separated for each Hazard ID?
The BOL has a Hazardous Materials column, but there is no checkmark or “x” alongside the
Hazardous line item. Shouldn’t there be?
Lastly, the packaging type for this Hazardous line item isn’t listed before or after the
Hazardous line item. What is represented is pre-printed on the BOL as “CartonCnt” above the
column in which a quantity is input. Does this suffice for the packaging type or should it be
listed in closer proximity to the Hazardous description?
Thank you for your assistance. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Sincerely,
Sam Klein
CIO
Campbell’s Express
856-589-8300 x210
sklein@campbellsexpress.com

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2025-09/250074.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `51a2f9b7a9c7954b8dba08f19f4eb5887d7f519e49e2c1905bfdad88f92594f4`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T14:47:28.153Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-25-0074`

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