# Morton International — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 02-0286
- **title:** Morton International — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1999-08-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 02-0286 response to Morton International concerning 172.401.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0286.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0286.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-02-0286
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2002/020286.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
August 17, 1999
Walter Sherwood
Ref. No. 02-0286
Morton International
60 Willow Street
North Andover, Massachusetts 01845
Dear Mr. Sherwood:
This is in response to your letter of August 11, 1999 regarding the shipment of
Dimethylhydrazine, Unsymetrical, UN 1163, which is being offered for transportation in
accordance with the provisions of the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code.
You should be aware that although we allow shipments of hazardous materials prepared in
accordance with the requirements of the IMDG Code to be transported in the United States, there
are conditions and limitations in 49 CFR Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) § 171.12
which are applicable to shipments prepared in accordance with the requirements of the IMDG
Code. According to § 171.12(b)(8) your shipment must comply with the following:
§ 171.12(b)(8) When a hazardous material, which is subject to the requirements of thé
IMDG Code, is a material poisonous by inhalation (see §171.8 of this subchapter)-
Inhalation Hazard" or "Inhalation Hazard"
(i) The shipping description must include the words "'Toxic Inhalation Hazard or Poison
", as required in §172.203(m) of this subchapter;
(ii) The material must be packaged in accordance with the requirements of this
subchapter; and
(ill) The package must be marked in accordance with §172.313 of this subchapter and
labeled and placarded with "POISON INHALATION HAZARD" or "POISON GAS",
as appropriate, in accordance with subparts E and F, respectively, of part 172 of this
subchapter.
On this basis, even though we authorize the use of labels according to the IMDG Code, your
172,401
020286

<<<PAGE 2>>>

The HMR also provides for a delayed implementation of the poison inhalation hazard placard
requirement. In § 171.14(b) a transitional provision states that "For materials poisonous by
inhalation, by all modes of transportation, until October 1, 2001, placards may be used that
conform to specifications for placards in effect on September 30, 1991, (2) specified in the
December 21, 1990 final rule, or (3) specified in the July 22, 1997 final rule." Therefore, until
October 1, 2001 an inhalation toxicity placard is not necessaty. Please note, however, that
requirements is authorized immediately and that the packaging, package marking, transport
voluntary compliance with the requirements for the inhalation toxicity label and placarding
vehicle or freight container marking in § 172.313(c) and shipping paper requirements in §
171.12(b)(8) must be met.
Sincerely,
Bat Rind
for Frits Wybenga
International Standards Coordinator
for Hazardous Materials Safety

<<<PAGE 3>>>

•Morton
August 11, 1999
Mr. Frits Wybenga
Office of Hazardous Material Safety
Washington DC 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Wybenga:
export shipments of Dimethylhydrazine Unsymmetrical, UN 1163?
Would you be able to provide me the proper labeling, marking, and documentation requirements for
I have been notified by Mr. Matthew Krynski, the Hazardous Materials Compliance Manager of Hapag
Lloyd America, that units of Dimethylhydrazine Unsymmetrical, 6.1, UN 1163, PG I, could not be
carried by Hapag Lloyd to Europe due to improper labeling and marking. Because of the transit time
requirements.
involved, this refusal had a severe negative impact on our ability to meet our customer's delivery
Currently, our export shipments of Dimethylhydrazine are packaged, labeled and marked in compliance
label and does not mention or imply a inhalation zone classification. As I understand the "Prohibited
with IMDG Code, volume IV, page 6132. This IMO regulation requires "Toxic" to be the primary hazard
labeling" section of the 49 CFR, 172.401 (c)(I)(2), the "Toxic" label is allowed for international
Bill of Lading generated for these shipments complies with the "Additional description requirements"
shipments and the IMDG labels and descriptions would not hinder transportation to the port. The Straight
172.203(m)(3) which requires poison inhalation hazard wording to be used. If we were to comply with
Hapag Lloyd's request to use domestic based marks and labels, I am concerned that these units would
not be in compliance both on board the vessel and in European transport.
Dimethylhydrazine is a growing part of our export profile and will be included in future shipments. Since
his is impacting our business financially and jeopardizing our customer relationships, we need to resolv
his conflict by you providing us direction as quickly-as possible
Please contact me by telephone (978) 557-1727 or fax (978) 557-1729 should you have any questions.
Thank you.
Wale Stewoos
Walter Sherwood
Materials Coordinator
Morton Performance Chemicals
Morton International, Inc., 60 Willow Street, North Andover, MA 01845-5917
978/774-3100 Fax 978/6891555
557-1727
Fax
978
557 - 1729

<<<PAGE 4>>>

(8) When a hazardous material, which is subject to the requirements of the IMDG Code, is a
material poisonous by inhalation (see §171.8 of this subchapter)-
(i) The shipping description must include the words Toxic Inhalation Hazard or Poison
Inhalation Hazard" or "Inhalation Hazard", as required in §172.203(m) of this subchapter;
(il) The material must be packaged in accordance with the requirements of this
subchapter; and
(iii) The package must be marked in accordance with §172.313 of this subchapter and
labeled and placarded with "POISON INHALATION HAZARD" or "POISON GAS", as
appropriate, in accordance with subparts E and F, respectively, of part 172 of this
subchapter.
© Copyright 1999, TEXT-Trieve, an American Labelmark Company.
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 5620
