# Eurotainer USA, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 98-0521  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1998-01-15

98-0521 response to Eurotainer USA, Inc. concerning 173.32.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

or transportation
U.S. Department
Washington, D.C.
400 Sevenm Svent SW
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
JAN 1 5 10C3
Mr. Terrence Noonan
Eurotainer USA, Inc.
580 Howard Avenue
Summerset, NJ 08873
Dear Mr. Noonan:
This is in response to your letter requesting clarification on outage and filling limits for
intermodal (IM) portable tanks under § 173.32c i) of the Hazardous Materials Regulations
MR 49 C Parts 17-180). Specifically, you ask whether the filling density of no less
than 80 percent by volume requirement applies to IM portable tank containers if the
commodity is being transported in a non-flowable solid state. I apologize for the delay in
responding and hope it has not caused you any inconvenience.
The answer is no. Provisions of § 173.32c (i) were developed to cover liquid and flowable
solid hazardous materials transported in IM portable tank packagings. This provision was
:
intended to minimize the risk of accidents resulting from slosh and the shift of the center of
gravity. This Office has determined that a monolithic solid material which conforms to the
tank geometry such that sloshing and the shifting of the center of gravity is not possible
may be transported in an IMportable tank at a filling density of less than 80 percent by
volume since such an action would not create an unsafe condition. In order to clarify this
issue, Docket HM-166Y, Transportation of Hazardous Materials; Miscellaneous
Amendments; Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, (62 FR 50222) published September 24,
1997, is proposing to revise § 173.32c (i) to allow monolithic solid materials to be loaded
into IMportable tanks to a filling density of less than 80 percent by volume.
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, do not hesitate to
contact us.
Sincerely,
Delmer F. Billings
Chief, Regulations Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Pole,
Ill. 113,3206)
351
S0: 396,
Date:
June 13, 1997
To:
Office of Haz, Mat. Standards
Ed Marzullo
Fax: (202) 366-3753
From:
Eurotainer USA, Inc.
Terrence Noonan
Phone:
(1) 732-805-9330
FAx:
(1) 732-805-0072
Pages:
_1.
Subject: 49 CER 173.3290)
173.32 C(j)
Dear Mr. Mazzullo,
We kladly request an interpretation of the above referenced rule with regards to the
outage and filling limits. Specifically, does the filling density of no less than 80% by
volume regulation apply to IMI portable tank containers if the commodity is being
The favor of a written reply at your earliest convenience is requested.
Sincerely
Serene one
Terrence Noonan
Summerset, NT D8873
3/1 3078
Z400 S08 806

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1998/980521.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `182df2a6c55a98564c4b33bf2b53c4aba5b40f747c4e2312d835b6054e5f25f9`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-25T03:53:53.226Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-98-0521`

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