# Goshen Corporate Park West — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0020  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-06-04

98-0020 response to Goshen Corporate Park West concerning 172.202.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S.Department
of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Special Programs
Research and
Washington, D C
20590
Administration
JUN - 4 1998
MI. David B. Caria
Director,
VWR Scientific Products
Regulatory Affairs
Goshen Corporate Park West
Ref. No. 98-0020
1310 Goshen Parkway
west Chester, PA 19380
Dear Mr. Caria:
This is in response to your letter of April 8, 1998, regarding
units of measurement required in a shipping paper entry in
accordance with 49 CFR S 172.202 (a) (5) • Specifically, you ask
appropriate unit of measurement.
whether the gross weight of the package in pounds would be an
The answer is yes.
empty packages, cylinders, and bulk packages, that the total
Section 172.202 (a) (5) requires, except for
quantity including the unit of measurement of the hazardous
materials covered by the description be included in the shipping
papers.
weight, capacițy, or as otherwise appropriate.
Total quantity may be entered as net weight, gross
Pounds may be
i
gross weight.
used as an adequate unit of measurement to express either net or
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely 1
Billings
Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
112.202

<<<PAGE 2>>>

contractor
ViA Scientific
File: 172.202(a)(5)
Products
Goshen Corporate Park West
West Chester, PA 19380
1310 Goshen Parkway
Main (610) 431-1700
April 8, 1998
DOT/RSPA/OHMS
Mr. Edward Mazzullo, DHM-10
400 7th Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20590
RE: Request For An Opinion
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
VWR Scientific Products is a distributor of laboratory supplies. As part of this, we ship
many small packages of liquid hazardous materials. It is presently our practice to show
the total quantity contained in each combination package as gross weight of the
package in pounds. It is our belief that this is an appropriate unit of measure as
required by 49 CFR 172.202 (a)(5).
I respectfully request your opinion on whether or not gross weight in pounds is an
appropriate unit of measure for relatively small quantities of liquid hazardous chemicals
shipped in combination packages. Four liters of acetone in a glass bottle, packaged in a
4GV package would be a typical shipment.
If you have questions or need clarification, I can be reached at 610-429-2814.
Sincerely,
David Blain
David B. Caria
Director Regulatory Affairs
DClamb

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980020.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `76cca479ee6750dbfba04d78ec6efc8d917aeb9dc650b020971c3953b5610971`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T04:04:30.825Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0020`

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