# University of Hawaii at Mãnoa — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 03-0142
- **title:** University of Hawaii at Mãnoa — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2004-10-06
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 03-0142 response to University of Hawaii at Mãnoa concerning 173.12.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0142.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0142.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-03-0142
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2003/030142.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department
of Transportation
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
OCT
6 2004
Mr. Tim O'Callaghan
Reference No. 03-0142
Hazardous Materials Management Officer
Environmental Health and Safety Office
University of Hawai'i at Mãnoa
2040 East-West Road
Honolulu, HI 96822
Dear Mr. O'Callaghan:
This is in response to your follow-up letter and our July 1, 2004 telephone conversation
concerning the transport of hazardous waste by vessel from Hawaii to the continental United
States under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You asked if
a shipper may use a limited quantity exception to transport a waste hazardous materials under the .
HMR provided he or she complies fully with the provisions contained in the exception for that
material. In your example, you stated that you want to use the limited quantity exception in
§ 173.152 to transport two-10 pound (4.54 kg) glass inner packagings of "Waste Potassium
nitrate, 5.1 (oxidizer), UN 1486, PG III." We apologize for the delay in responding and any
inconvenience this may have caused.
Your understanding is correct. When offering or transporting a waste hazardous material by
vessel between or within the United States and its territories, a shipper may use any HMR
exception that is authorized for that material in Column (8A) of the Hazardous Materials Table
(§ 172.101 Table). Section 173.152 permits 10 pound (4.54 kg) glass inner packagings of waste
potassium nitrate to be transported as a limited quantity by vessel when placed inside a strong
outer packaging in conformance with the applicable requirements prescribed in §§ 173.24,
173.24a, and 49 CFR Part 176. The completed package must weigh no more than 30 kg (66
pounds). On the shipping paper, the description for a material offered for transportation as a
limited quantity must include the words "Limited Quantity" or "Ltd Qty" following the basic
material as shown in the Hazardous Materials Table (see 172.301(a)). Under the HMR, the
description (see § 172.203(b)). Packages must be marked with the proper shipping name for the
identification number, hazard warning label, and placard are not required on packages that
contain only limited quantities.
030142
173.12

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If all or part of the waste potassium nitrate's transportation is by vessel, the material may be
transported as prescribed under the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMIDG
Code provided the package conforms with the requirements prescribed in § 171.12 of the HMR.
The applicable regulations for limited quantities transported by vessel are found in Volume 2,
Chapter 3.4, of the IMDG Code.
I hope this satisfies your request.
Hitle z mithel
Hattie L. Mitchell, Chief
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards.

<<<PAGE 3>>>

06/10/03
TUE 09:35 FAX 8089563205
UH ENV HLTH & SAFETY
0002
UNIVERSITY OF HAW
A
A T
MÁN OA
Environmental Health and Safety Office
Edmonson
8173.12
June 9, 2003
Hazardous Naste
Via Facsimile (202) 366-3012
Exceptions
Ms. Hattie L. Mitchell, Chief
D3-0142
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590-001
Dear Ms. Mitchell:
This is a follow-up to my letter of July 11, 2002 and your reply of May 27, 2003
(Reference No. 02-0191) requesting further clarification on one point
In my letter I asked how do the requirements in 49 CFR 173.12 (b) relate: to the
requirements in 49 CFR 173.4, and 173.150 to 173.155. Specifically, can hazardous
waste materials, which would be considered as "labpacks" be transported by vessel
without an exemption to 49 CFR 173.12 (b) if the requirements of 49 CFR 173.4
(small quantity) or 49 CFR 173.150 tọ 173.155 (limited quantity) as appropriate are
met? Your reply was that the answer is no; hazardous wastes that are offered for
transportation under 173.12 (b)(1) are restricted to transportation for disposal and
recovery by highway only. For transportation by vessel, an exemption must be
obtained under the provisions of 49 CFR Part 107, Subpart B.
I think that I understand your answer, but perhaps my question was not clearly
phrased so I would like to rephrase the question with a specific example in order
that I may clearly understand how the regulations apply.
The regulations for small quantity (49 CFR 174.4), limited quantity (49 CFR
173.150 to 173.155) and labpacks (49 CFR 173.12 (b)) all provide exceptions to the
specification packaging requirements involving combination packaging provided
that the applicable requirements in each of those sections are met. Is the shipper free
Telephone: (808) 956-8660, Facsimile: (808) 956-3205
2040 East-West Road, Honolulu, Hawal'i 96822
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution

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06/10/03
TUE 09:35 FAX 8089563205
UH ENV HLTH & SAFETY
40003
Ms. Hattie Mitchell
June 9, 2003
Page 2.
to choose the exception which they will use provided that all of the cond tions and
requirements of that exception are met? For example, if I want to ship tvro 10
pound glass containers of solid potassium nitrate as a hazardous waste to an EPA
permitted treatment, storage, and disposal site in the continental United Sitates from
Hawaii by vessel, can I use the limited quantity exception under 173.152?
Potassium Nitrate is an oxidizer (hazard class 5.1) listed in the Hazardous Materials
Table (172.101) as a packing group III item and for which an exception for limited
quantity under 173.152 is listed. The exception for limited quantity (173.152)
states, in part, that: "Each package must conform to the packaging requirements of
part B of this part and may not exceed 30 kg. (66 pounds) gross weight. The
following combination packagings are authorized: For oxidizers in packing group
Ill inner packagings not over..5.0kg. (11 pounds) net capacity each for solids,
packed in strong outer packagings." I plan to use a 20 gallon UN approred, 1A2 X
type, steel drum as the outer packaging. The inner packagings will be cushioned
with vermiculite and the total gross weight of the container will not exceed 66
pounds.
If you need further information, please contact me at (808) 956-3198 or at
ocallagh@hawaii.edu. Thank you for your assistance in this matter
Very truly yours,
TimO Callshan
Tim O'Callaghan
Hazardous Material Management Officer
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