# Waste Management Federal Services — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0125  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-08-18

98-0125 response to Waste Management Federal Services concerning 173.427.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S.Department
of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
AUG 1 8 1998
Mr. J.G. Field
Manager Engineering
Rei. No.
98-0125
Waste Management Federal Services, Inc.
•
• 345 Hills Street
Richland, WA 99352
Dear Mr. Field:
This is in response to your letter of June 1, 1998, regarding the
transport of low specific activity radioactive liquid (LSA) in a
secured by a threaded cap or bolted flange.
specification DOT 412 cargo tank that has a sump which has been
Specifically, you asked if a threaded capped pipe or bolted flange
may be used
transporting a LSA liquid?
to close an outlet on the sump of the tank when. -
Yes, provided the sump is not the cargo
:
tank outlet used for normal loading or unloading of the tank. See
§$ 178.345-1 "loading/unloading outlet" and 178.345-11.
• I hope this satisfies your request.
!
Delmer F. Billings
Office
Chief,
Standards Development
of Hazardous Materials
Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Waste Management Federal Services, Inc.
345 Hills Street
Northwest Operations
Phone 509.376.7055
Richland, WA 99352
509.372.1435
•
June 1, 1998
WMNW-EPC-98-099
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
Director of Office of Hazardous
Materials Standards
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 7th Street SW
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
SHIPPING LOW SPECIFIC ACTIVITY LIQUID
• Waste Management Federal Services, Inc., Northwest Operations question: "Is it permissible to
transport radioactive low specific activity (LSA) liquid in a U.S. Department of Transportation
(DOT) 412 cargo tank that has a sump consisting of a threaded cap or bolted flange, with either
device securely closed?" Reference 173.427 (c) allows transport of LSA-I liquid in a DOT 412
cargo tank, but states that bottom outlets are not allowed. Reference 178-345-1, under the
definition of "outlet," states that the following are not outlets: "A threaded opening securely
closed during transportation with a threaded plug or a threaded cap a flanged opening securely
closed during transportation with a bolted or welded blank flange... " Was it the intention of the
regulations to allow a removable (non-welded) capped pipe or removable flange on the bottom of
the tank when transporting LSA liquids?
We are requesting a written interpretation for the U.S. Department of Energy, Richland
Operations Office.
Very truly yours,
Engineeris
acp
RL
- D. W. Claussen S7-55
WMH - D. L. McCall
H11-11M/118Y
WMNW - E. P. Clements H1-15
JGF File/LB
Printed on Recycied Paper
/

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980125.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `c190bc18e408f6c239a571cec5757a598585bb512438d37117672835e337e24d`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T08:02:01.275Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0125`

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