# Chem-Nuclear Systems — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 99-0143  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1999-11-26

99-0143 response to Chem-Nuclear Systems concerning 173.428.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

S. Departmer
Transportatio
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C
20590
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
NOV 26 1999
Mr. Kevin M. Lee
Reference No. 99-0143
Licensing Engineer
Chem-Nuclear Systems
740 Osborn Road
Barnwell, SC 29812
Dear Mr. Lee:
This is in response to your May 26, 1999 letter and June 23, 1999 telephone conversation with
Mr. Wendell Carriker and Ms. Eileen Mack of the Office of Hazardous Materials Safety. You
asked whether an orange panel marking must be removed or covered on a bulk DOT TA-Type A
package, with a polyethylene liner, that contains residue of "Radioactive material, LSA, n.o.s., 7,
UN 2912" or "Radioactive material, n.o.s., 7, UN 2982." You stated the package is empty and
transported in accordance with § 173.428 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
CFR Parts 171-180).
Based on the information you provided, if the package is prepared in accordance with § 173.428
(that is; it meets the packaging, definition, and EMPTY labeling requirements specified in that
section), then the orange panel and other markings required by the HMR for this material must
be removed or covered during transportation. Furthermore, under § 173.428, the shipper is
excepted from having to provide a shipping paper and shipper's certification. For your
information, please note that the requirements in § 173.422(b) pertaining to training, incident and
decontamination reporting would apply.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
Hathe z. Mitchell
Hattie L. Mitchell, Chief
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
990143
173,425

<<<PAGE 2>>>

1: ®
CHEM-NUCLEAR SYSTEMS
Mack
740 Osborn Road • Barnwell, South Carolina 29812
8173.428
99-0143
LC-395-99-KML
May 26, 1999
RSPA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10)
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, SW
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Sir/Madam:
I am requesting a written clarification pertaining to the display of orange panels and other
markings required on bulk packages containing hazardous materials.
We commonly receive packages containing "Radioactive Material, LSA, n.o.s., 7, UN2912 or
Radioactive Material, n.o.s., 7, UN2982 which have "2912" or "2982" displayed on orange
canels as appropriate. We then empty these packages of their contents and ship them back as
remove, obliterate, or cover any labels previously applied to the package. It does not require the
empty packages in accordance with 49 CFR 173.428, which specifically states that you must
same for any of the previously applied markings. The package still contains the residue of the
material identified by the orange panel or any other markings required by 49 CFR 172 Subpart
D. Is it appropriate to display the orange panels and/or other markings previously applied to the
package when it is shipped as an empty package according to 49 CFR 173.428?
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at (803) 541-5012. Thank you for
your assistance.
Sincerely,
Chem-Nuclear Systems, LLC
Sion te
Kevin M. Lee
Licensing Engineer
(803) 259-1781
* Printed on recycled pi

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1999/990143.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `63447dded10164efd78faeb245a738f0b9f074f16c1e69f362cd721665650537`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T05:47:40.379Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-99-0143`

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