# Monsanto Company — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0349  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1999-03-15

98-0349 response to Monsanto Company concerning 172.201.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

-
U.S.Department
of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C.
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
MAR I 5 1999
MI. William J. Briner
Ref. No. 98-0349
Regulatory Affairs Manager
Monsanto Company
800 N. Lindbergh Boulevard
St. Louis, Missouri 63167
Dear Mr. Briner:
This is in response to your letter dated November 5, 1998,
regarding $ 172.201 (a) (1) (iii) of the Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
specifically, you
ask whether a shipping paper may have a column heading of "HM
DG" (or some variation thereof), rather than a column heading
The shipping paper requirément in $ 172.201 (a) (1) (iii)
specifies that a shipping paper, containing both a regulated
hazardous material and a non-regulated material, may identify
the hazardous material by placing an "X" in a column captioned
"HM." The column heading you describe in your letter would
not be in compliance with the HMR. The "DG" column heading is
not acceptable because it would be the use of a non-authorized
abbreviation and non-authorized code.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

•=
Monsanto
-
BAH
§172.201
November 5, 1998
U.S. Department of Transportation
Research and Special Programs Administration
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Attn: Mr. Thomas Allan
Dear Mr. Allan:
I am writing to request a written interpretation concerning 49 CFR 172.201 (a)(1)(iii),
which allows an "X" to be placed before the proper shipping name in a column
captioned "HM".
Monsanto Company is designing a single shipping paper for use not only in the United
States but also in other countries. One of our offices in another country has
requested that the "HM" column heading be changed to
HM
DG
"HM" corresponding to "hazardous materials" and "DG" corresponding to "dangerous
goods".
Please indicate if a column heading containing the letters "HM" on the first line and
the letters "DG" immediately below it on the second line is in compliance with 49 CFR
172.201 (a)(1)(iii).
If you have any questions concerning this, please call me at (314) 694-2999.
Sincerely,
William Or. Briner
William J. Briner
Regulatory Affairs Manager

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980349.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `e206aaf7ec18e4cf27ab2e78b8b01be292e9e7853ccd73ac522dceb3d9d345ab`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-24T10:03:54.285Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0349`

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