# Transportation Development Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 04-0212
- **title:** Transportation Development Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2004-11-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 04-0212 response to Transportation Development Group concerning 173.150.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0212.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0212.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-04-0212
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2004/040212.pdf
**body:**

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Transportatio
S. Departmer
400 Seventh St., S.W.
Wash ngton, D.C. 20590
NOV 17 2004
Mr. Jim Powell, President
Ref. No.: 04-0212
415 Dairy Road
Transportatic Development Group
PMB E234
Kahului, HI 96732
Dear Mr. Powell:
This responds to your letter dated September 10, 2004, concerning the transportation of
combustible liquids under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask about the transportation of "Perfumery products, UN 1256" that are classed
as combustib e liquids under § 173.150(f)(1) of the HMR and the circumstances under which
such combustible liquids may be transported by vessel or aircraft.
Under § 173.150(f) of the HMR, a flammable liquid with a flashpoint at or above 38°C (100°F)
that does not meet the definition of any other hazard class may be reclassed as a combustible
liquid. This provision does not apply to transportation by vessel or aircraft, except where other
means of transportation is impracticable. A material classed as a combustible liquid (e.g.,
"Perfumery products, UN 1266") in a non-bulk packaging (e.g., a box of 120 ml bottles) that is
not a hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or marine pollutant is not subject to the HMR. For
transportation by aircraft or vessel, a flammable liquid with a flashpoint above 60.5°C (141°F) is
not regulated, provided it meets no other hazard class. (see §§ 173.120(a)(2), (b)(2), and
173.150(f)(1)).
For purposes of § 173.150(f), the term "impracticable" means that transportation is not physically
possible or cannot be performed by routine or frequent means of transportation because of
extenuating circumstances. For inter-island transportation or for transportation between the
continental United States and Hawaii, transportation by a mode other than vessel or aircraft is not
a combustible liquid by vessel or aircraft between islands or between Hawaii and the continental
physically possible; thus, under the HMR, you may use the exception in § 173.150(f) to transport
United States. No prior arrangement or authorization from DOT is required for such
transportation.
As you indicate in your letter, neither the International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical
Instructions for the Transport of Dangerous Goods (ICAO Technical Instructions) nor the
International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) Code includes an exception from regulation
for flammable liquids reclassed as combustible liquids. Thus, for airlines that require shippers to
113. 150(f)
040212

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comply with the ICAO Technical Instructions and for vessel carriers that require shippers to
comply with the IMDG Code, "Perfumery products, UN 1266" must be classed as a flammable
liquid.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

narun
173.150+.
Exceptions
Transportation Development
04-0212
-group
logisticstraining.com
415 Dairy Road, PMB E234, Kahului, HI 96732
(800) 949-4834 | (800) 527-5121 FAX
jim@logisticstraining.com
Friday, Septenber 10, 2004
Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo
400 7th Street: S.W. DHM10
RSPA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Washington, JC 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
I am requesting an interpretation of 49 CFR 173.150(f)(1) where it provides that the combustible liqui
exception is not valid for transport by air or vessel except where other means of transport are impracticable
that is not a hazardous substance, waste or marine pollutant.
So, here are some possible scenarios here in Hawaii for a box of 120 mL bottles of Perfumery Products, UN 1266,
1. May be shipped inter-island by barge under this exception - not subject to any requirements of 49 CFR
2. May be shipped inter-island by AIR under this exception - not subject to any requirements of 49 CFR.
3. May be shipped from Hawaii to the continental US by vessel or air under this exception - not subject to
any requirements of 49 CFR.
this exception. Presuming, for the sake of discussion, that there is an inter-island air carrier who followed 49 CFR
I do realize there are other considerations - such as the airlines following IATA (industry) rules that do not allow
and not IATA/ICAO it seems to me that this exception would be allowed.
obtained to stip virtually unlimited quantities of flammable liquids by air or ocean inter-island as long as the
Am I correct n presuming that no prior arrangements or authorization from the DOT would need to be made or
substance was referred in column 8(A) of the HMT to 173.150 and all the other requirements were otherwise met.
Is this interpretation of the regulations correct?
Sincerely,
President
Jim Powell
jim@logisticstraining.com
1-800-949-4834
2390 Crenshaw Blvd, Ste 513, Torrance, CA 90501
TDG Los Angeles
310) 302-0808 | FAX (310) 302-0809
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