{"operation":"document","citation":"03-0110","title":"Laboratory Corporation of American — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2003-06-04","effective_on":null,"summary":"03-0110 response to Laboratory Corporation of American concerning 173.154.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0110.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0110.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0110","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2003/030110.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n400 Seventh St., S.W\nWashington, D.G. 20590\nResearch and\nSpecial Programs\nJUN\n4 2003\nAdministration\n•\nMr. Donald E. Horton, Jr.\nAssistant General Counsel\nReference No.: 03-0110\nand Director of Corporate Safety\nLaboratory Corporation of American\n430 South Spring Street\nBurlington, NC 27215\nDear Mr. Horton:\nThis responds to your letter requesting clarification of the limited quantity provisions under the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR 171-180). Specifically, you ask if the term\n\"net capacity\" refers to the volumetric capacity of a container or to the net amount of hazardous\nmaterial in a container. You enclosed a recent letter of interpretation (Reference No. 02-0301)\nInformation Center.\nthat appears to contradict information you received from a specialist in the Hazardous Materials\nThe information you received from the Hazardous Materials Information Center is correct.\nSection 173.154(b)(1) authorizes the use of inner packagings not over 1.0 L (0.3 gallon) net\ncapacity each for liquids. Therefore, \"net capacity\" refers to the volumetric capacity of the\npackaging, not the net amount of hazardous material present in the packaging. Out response Al\nin the above referenced clarification letter has been revised.\nI hope this satisfies your inquiry.\nSincerely,\nHitter mithee\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nEnclosure\n173.154\n030110\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nEnclosure.\nS. Departmer\nJUN - 4 2003\nTransportatic\n400 Seventh St., S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMs. Penny L. Guido\nP. O. Box 14715\nYUASA Battery, Inc.\nReference No.: 02-0301\nReading, PA19612-4715\nAttn: Mr. Joe Majesky\nDear Ms. Guido:\nThis letter replaces our January 22, 2003 response concerning the limited quantity exception in\n§ 173.154 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You state\nthat you manufacture dry batteries that are shipped with a separate acid pack which is a\npolyethylene bottle with a volume of 32 ounces or less. One dry battery and an acid pack are\noffered for domestic and international transportation. In a subsequent telephone conversation\npackaged in a UN certified packaging, marked \"Battery fluid, acid, UN2796.\" The product is\nwith a member of my statf, you clarified that each acid pack contains less than 0.4 L of acid. Our\nresponse to question 1 is revised for clarity.\nYour questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:\nQ1. May our product be offered as a limited quantity under the provisions in § 173.154(b)?\nAl. The answer is yes. The § 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table authorizes Battery fluid, acid,\nUN2796 to be packaged in accordance with § 173.154. The limited quantity provisions for\nClass 8, PG II materials in § 173.154(b)(1) authorize the use of an inner packaging not over 1 I\n(0.3 gal.) net capacity for liquids.\nQ2. How are \"limited quantities\" described on a shipping paper and what are the marking\nrequirements for \"limited quantity\" packages?\nA2. The description for a material offered for transportation as a \"limited quantity\" must include\nthe words \"Limited Quantity\" or \"Ltd Qty\" following the basic description, see § 172.203(b).\nPackages must be marked with the proper shipping name for the material as shown in the\nHazardous Materials Table, see § 172.301(a). The identification number is not required on\npackages that contain only limited quantities. Under § 172.312, package orientation markings\nare required on two opposite vertical sides of a non-bulk package containing liquid hazardous\nmaterials except when the inner packagings are hermetically sealed.\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nQ3. May the limited quantity exception be used in international commerce?\nA3. Limited quantities may be offered for international transportation by air and by vessel.\nInternationai air transportation is subject to the International Civil Aviation Organization's\nTechnical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. See Part 3, Chapter 4,\nfor acceptable dangerous goods (hazardous materials), specific packaging requirements, and\nare found in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, Volume 2, Chapter 3.4.\nquantity limitations. The applicable regulations for limited quantities being transported by vessel\nI hope this information is helpful.\nSincerely,\nHelle z. Michell\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nCorbin\n§,173.154\nLimited Quantities\n<LabCorp\nLaboratory Corporation of America\nLaboratory Corporation o\norporation America Hodings\n430 South Spring Street\nApril 24, 2003\nBurlington, North Carolina 27215 03-D|/0\nTelephone: 336-584-5171\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards (DHM-10)\nResearch and Special Programs Administration (\"RSPA\")\n400 7\" Street, SW\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nRe: Corrosive liquids, Class 8, Limited Quantities Exception\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\nLaboratory Corporation of America Holdings (\"LabCorp\") ships by ground, from a central\ncontaining only 30 ml of 6.0 N hydrochloric acid (\"HCI\"). The HCl in the container has a\nwarehouse to its field operations, 3.0 L volumetric capacity urine collection containers, each\nPacking Group II classification, according to the manufacturer. The containers are shipped in\ncases containing twenty-four (24) individual containers, Over the past six (6) months, LabCorp\nmaterials with no exceptions, pursuant to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (\"HMR\", 49 CFR\nhas shipped 1,886 cases of these containers. The containers are currently shipped as hazardous\nParts 171-180).\nIt would be beneficial for Lab Corp to ship these containers under the limited quantities exception\ntound in 49 CFR § 173.154 (b) (1), which permits ground shipments of corrosive materials in\nPacking Group II in inner packagings not over 1.0 L \"net capacity\" for liquids. However, since\nDOT has issued conflicting information when discussing \"net capacity\", which is not defined in\nexception pending clarification of the term.\n49 CFR § 171.8, we have, to date, taken the more conservative approach of not utilizing the\ncapacity\" of a container includes the air space of the container and should not be confused with\nAccording to the DOT Hazardous Materials Information Center (\"HMIC'\"), the term \"net\nthe actual volume of the hazardous material that is present inside the container. In other words,\n\"net capacity\" refers to the volumetric capacity of the container and not the net amount of\nhazardous material that is actually present inside the container.\nHowever, a search for letters of interpretation issued by RSPA produced a letter dated January\n22, 2003 from Hattie L. Mitchell of your office (Enclosure 1). This letter, in discussing the\nlimited quantities exception in 49 CFR § 173.154 (b) (1), appears to indicate that it is the\nas a limited quantity.\nquantity of hazardous material in the container that determines whether or not it may be shipped\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nPage 2\nApril 24, 2003\nIf the HMIC interpretation of \"net capacity\" is correct, it appears that our containers cannot be\nexceeds 1.0 L. However, if the January 22 interpretation letter is correct, it appears that ou\nshipped under the limited quantities exception because the volumetric capacity of each container\ncontainers can be shipped under the limited quantities exception, since each container only\ncontains 30 ml of hazardous material.\nIn summary, for the purpose of determining whether the containers described in this letter may\nlike a written interpretation from RSPA regarding the definition of \"net capacity\" as used in that\nbe shipped under the limited quantities exception of 49 CFR § 173.154 (b) (1), LabCorp would\nsection. Does the term mean:\namount of hazardous material contained therein; or\na) The volumetric, total capacity of the container, including air space, independent of the\nb) The quantity of hazardous material actually present in the container?\ninformation, please do not hesitate to contact me at (336) 436-5040.\nThank you for your assistance, and I look forward to hearing from you. If you need any further\nVery truly yours,\nLABORATORY CORPORATION OF AMERICA HOLDINGS,\nAssistant General Counsel\nDonald E. Horton, Jr.\nand Director of Corporate Safety\n0403rspa.001\nEnclosure\nCC:\nDave King\nJacob Naeyaert\n........................\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nPage 1 of 2\nJan 22, 2003\n1/22/2003 - 173.154\nReference No.: 02-03 01\nMs. Penny L. Guido\nP.O. Box 14715\nYUASA Battery, Inc.\nReading, PA19612-4715\nDear Ms. Guido:\nThis is in response to your letter requesting clarification of the limited quantity exception under\nthe Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You state that you\nbottle with a volume of 32 ounces or less. One dry battery and an acid pack, are packaged in a\nmanufacture dry batteries that are shipped with a separate acid pack which is a polyethylene\ndomestic and international transportation. In a subsequent telephone conversation with a\nUN certified packaging, marked \"Battery fluid, acid, UN2796.\" The product is offered for\nmember of my staff, you clarified that each acid pack contains less than 0.4 L of acid.\nYour questions are paraphrased and answered as follows:\nQ1. May our product be offered as a limited quantity under the provisions in § 173.154(b)?\n(b)(1) authorize a maximum of 1 L (0.3 gal.) in each inner packaging.\nAl. The answer is yes. The limited quantity provisions for Class 8, PG II materials in §. 173.154\nrequirements for \"limited quantity\" packages?\nQ2. How are \"limited quantities\" described on a shipping paper and what are the marking\nA2. The description for a material offered for transportation as a \"limited quantity\" must include\nPackages must be marked with the proper shipping name for the material as shown in the\nthe words \"Limited Quantity\" or \"Ltd Qty\" following the basic description, see' § 172.203(b).\nHazardous Materials Table, see § 172.301(a). The identification number is not required on\nare required on two opposite vertical sides of a non-bulk package containing liquid hazardous\npackages that contain only limited quantities. Under § 172.312, package orientation markings\nmaterials except when the inner packagings are hermetically sealed.\nQ3. May the limited quantity exception be used in international commerce?\nA3. Limited quantities may be offered for international transportation by air and by vessel.\nInternationa. air transportation is subject to the International Civil Aviation Organization's\nfor acceptable dangerous goods (hazardous materials), specific packaging requirements, and\nTechnical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. See Part 3, Chapter 4,\nquantity limitations. The applicable regulations for limited quantities being transported by vessel\nare found in the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, Volume 2, Chapter 3.4.\nI hope this information is helpful.\nSincerely,\nhttp://www.myregs.com/dotrspa/goto.asp?ref=IDOT_020301&print=yes\n4/22/2003\n\n<<<PAGE 7>>>\n\nPage 2 of 2\nHattie L. Mitchell\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n173.154\n© 2002 Labelmaster Software, American Labelmark Company. All rights reserved.\nhttp://www.myregs.com/dotrspa/goto.asp?ref-IDOT 020301&print=yes\n4/22/2003","truncated":false,"body_characters":11348}