# Chemtech Finishing System — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 00-0306
- **title:** Chemtech Finishing System — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2000-11-07
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 00-0306 response to Chemtech Finishing System concerning 172.101.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0306.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0306.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-00-0306
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2000/000306.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
J.S. Department
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Special Programs
Research and
Administration
NOV
7 2000
Ms. Stephanie Williams
Regulatory Affairs Engineer
Ret. No. 00-0306
Chemtech Finishing System
23177 Commerce Drive
Farmington Hills, Michigan 48335
Dear Ms. Williams:
This responds to your letter, dated October 31, 2000, concerning transportation of lithium
hydroxide under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask if you may rename a technically pure shipment of lithium hydroxide as a
lithium hydroxide mixture or a corrosive solid mixture, n.o.s., in order to protect a trade secret.
The answer is no. As defined in the HMR, a "mixture" means a material composed of more than
one chemical compound or element (see § 171.8). Technically pure lithium hydroxide is not a
mixture and may not be so described on a shipping paper. Further, generic shipping names, such
as corrosive solid, n.o.s., are to be used only for hazardous materials not specifically listed by
name in the Hazardous Materials Table. As your letter notes, lithium hydroxide, solid, is listed
in Column (2) of the table. Thus, the shipping description for technically pure lithium hydroxide
is: Lithium hydroxide, solid, 8, UN 2680, PG II.
I hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact
this office.
Sincerely,
The
oH. Allar
Thomas G. Allan
Senior Transportation Regulations Specialist
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

OCT-30-2000
18:04
CHEMTECH FINISHING SYSTEM
248 478 6810 P.01/01
23177 Commerce Drive
Farmington Hills, Mi 48335
Gosky
Phone: 248.478.5200 x 235
FAX: 248.478.6810
172.10|
Chemtech.
Finishing Systems
October 31, 2000
Proper Shipping Nam
Director for the Office of Hazardous Material Standards
Mr. Edward Mazzullo
00-0306
United States Department of Transportation/ Research & Special Programs Administration
400 7* Street SW
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Sir:
I am writing this letter in order to get clarification on the definitions of mixture and solution. As defined in
•
49 CFR 171.8 (Rev. as of 10/01/99) the following definitions are used:
Mixture means a material composed of more than one chemical compound or element
Solution means any homogenous liquid mixture of two or more chemical compounds or elements that
will not undergo any segregation under conditions normal to transportation.
The following scenario is what has occurred at my place of employment;
We have a product that is a repack and relabel of a raw material, lithium hydroxide. This compound is
listed on the 172.101 Hazardous Material Table. The proper shipping name would be:
Lithium hydroxide, solid, 8,UN2680, PG II
What we would like to know is the following:
1. Is there an alternative way to name this technically pure material, such that it does not reveal a
trade secret and still stay DOT compliant?
For example:
a.)
Lithium hydroxide solid mixture, 8, UN2680, PG II
b.)
Corrosive solid mixture, 8, UN2680, PG II (Contains Lithium hydroxide)
An answer as soon as possible would be greatly appreciated in order to keep a customer.
Sincerely,
Regulatory Affairs Engineer
Stephanie Williams
•
TOTAL P.Ø1

<<<PAGE 3>>>

DETECTOR - LYMAN ALPHA
SILVER CHLORIDE BOND
(Model No. GT 203D)
MAGNESIUM
FLUORIDE WINDOW
ROUNDED END
13 O.D. × 1MM THK
, EVAPORATED METAL COATING
22 MM
9MM$0.5
PYREX
FILL DETECTOR WITH
3
16MM NITRIC OXIDE (NO)
- 30 MM
+— 12 MM
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 3491
