# Mr. Louis Sachs — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** 99-0290  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1999-12-17

99-0290 concerning 171.8.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Washington, D.C.
Research and
special Programs
Administration
DEC 17 1999
Mr. Louis Sachs
Ref. No. 99-0290
9291 East Bay Harbor Drive 3E
Bay Harbor Islands, FL 33154
Dear Mr. Sachs:
This is in response to your letter dated October 26, 1999, and
regarding shipment of consumer commodities under the Hazardous
subsequent telephone conversation with a member of my staff,
Materials Regulations
(HMR; 49 CER Parts 171-180). Specifically,
you ask if your product would qualify for the consumer commodity
exception.
Under $ 173.22 it is the shipper's responsibility to properly
class a
hazardous material.
To ship your product as a Consumer
commodity, ORM-D, it must: 1) meet the definition for consumer
commodity under § 171.8; 2) in the packaging section referenced
in the Hazardous Materials Table in $ 172.101, be allowed a
special exception for shipment as an ORM-D, for example
§ 173.150; and 3) be packaged for shipment in accordance with the
limited quantity provisions.
Provided your material meets the definition of a flammable liquid
"Flammable liquid, n.o.s., 3, UN1993, PG II," and is packaged as
under § 173.120, is described using the proper shipping name
described in your letter it will qualify for the limited quantity
definition of a consumer commodity as defined in § 171.8, you may
exception. Therefore, if the material as packaged meets the
rename it "Consumer commodity" and
reclass it "ORM-D."
I hope this satisfies your request.
Sincerely,
Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
990290
1118

<<<PAGE 2>>>

BAH
8171.8 consumer
commodite
U.S. Dept. of Transportation /RSPA BHM-10
99-0290
400 7th St. S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Att: Director Edward Mazzullo
Dear Sir:
I recently spoke with Mr. Arthur Pollack of your office who was very
helpful in giving me information necessary to have a D.O.T.
classification for a product to be manufactured.
The product is a disinfectant containing isopropyl alcohol, acetone
and benzalkonium chloride. It will be packaged in a 2 fl. oz.
HDPE plastic bottle with a total weight of 2.2 ounces, a carton
containing 36 bottles would weigh a total of 5½ Ibs. I understood t 38
that if the total weight was under 20 lbs. a 200 lb. test carton was
required and over 201bs. it required a 275 Ib. test carton.
Mr. Pollack indicated that with the information I had givin him
that it would qualify for the classification: consumer commodity ORM-D.
If there is any printed information available concerning the above, I
would appreciate recieving it together with any necessary paperwork
required.
9291 IE. Bay Harbor Drive 3E
Bay Harbor Islands, Florida 33154
(305) 868-4180

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/1999/990290.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `333726710b00b4c1c508c16646586a66674bd6e834d851823fc0b09c0b9b32cf`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T22:17:32.590Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-99-0290`

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