# HazMat Environmental Group, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 05-0114
- **title:** HazMat Environmental Group, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2005-07-27
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 05-0114 response to HazMat Environmental Group, Inc. concerning 173.240.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0114.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0114.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-05-0114
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2005/050114.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Administrations
Ms. Colleen A. Orth
Ref. No. 05-0114
Compliance Officer
HazMat Environmental Group, Inc.
New Village Industrial Park
60 Commerce Drive
Buffalo, New York 14218-1040
Dear Ms. Orth:
This responds to your April 27, 2005 letter requesting clarification on "closed bulk bins"
under §173.240 of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
Specifically, you ask whether a box van trailer is a "closed bulk bin." You also ask about
marking requirements for the bulk packaging.
Section 173.240 authorizes the transportation of certain low hazard solid materials in
non-DOT specification sift-proof closed bulk bins. In order to be considered sift-proof,
the completed package may not permit the escape of any of the hazardous material
contained therein. A "closed bulk bin" is a type of bulk packaging other than a portable
tank, cargo tank, tank car and multi-unit tank car. It is the shipper's responsibility to
ensure that the packaging provides sift-proof containment at the time of shipment and
will continue to provide that containment until the package reaches its final destination.
It is the opinion of this Office that a box van trailer is a "closed bulk bin" if the
provisions of $173.240 requiring sift-proof containment are met.
In addition to being sift-proof and closed, the package must also meet general packaging
provisions of §§ 173.24 and 173.24b. The bins are also subject to the requirements of the
special provisions contained in Column 7 of the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT;
172.101), as applicable to the material being transported.
If the Class 9 material is packaged in a non-specification sift-proof closed bulk bin ir
accordance with §173.240(c), the marking requirements in §§ 172.302, 172.331 and
172.332 apply. Specifically, the bulk container must be marked with the appropriate
173.240
050114

<<<PAGE 2>>>

4-digit UN identification number in the prescribed format. A Class 9 placard is not
required for domestic transportation.
I hope this answers your inquiry.
Sincerely,
peri
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Apr. 21. 2005 12:42HM
Boothe
No. 33/4
P. 2
$173.240
-
HAZMAT
ENVIRONMENTAL
Bulk Packagings
New Village Industrial Park
HAZMAT
GROUP, INC.
05*0114
Bela, Ne on 15718 ON
HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SERVICES....TRANSPORTATION... TRAINING... CONSULTING
Permitted In 48 States and Canada
Phone: (716) 827-7200
www.hazmatinc.com
Fax: (716) 827-7217
April 27, 2005
Ed Mazzullo
fax: 202-366-5713
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Research and Special Programs Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W
Washington, D.C. 20590
Dear Mr. Mazzulio:
Enclosed please find a letter dated May 2, 1994 that your office sent to World Resources
Company in response to their letter requesting an exemption from markings/labels on bulk bags
transported in an "enclosed truck trailer".
In regards to the above, I would like to request the following:
Clarification of the attached letter per your department, that allows generators to ship
bulk containers without any markings or labels dependent on the shipping description.
An interpretation that requires bulk packages to be marked as such in accordance with
172.302 when transported in a box van trailer. More specifically, for class 9 material
regarding 173.240(c), does the definition of a "closed bulk bin" encompass a box val
trailer? If you do consider a van a "closed bulk bin" and the material is a hazardous
waste, there is no appropriate "container type" for section 12 on a manifest for a box
van trailer.
Please respond at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
ColenA.Oich
Colleen A. Orth
Compliance Supervisor
/cao
Enclosure
co: D. Dintino
N. Copelin

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Apr. 21. 2005 12:42PM
No. 3374 P. 3
-i.
U.S. Department
of Transportation
Fag: 3: 24:
Research and
Special Programs
Administration
MAY
2:094
Mr. Donald E. Gordon and
Mr. Eric Hyatt
QC Corporation
Executive Centre at Hooks Lane
4 Reservoir Circle,
Baltimore,
MD
21208
Suite 105
Dear Mr. Gordon and Mr. Hyatt:
transport of closed bulk bags containing more than 1000 pounds of Ferrous sulfate
This is in response to your March 1, and MaIch 21, 1994 letters concerning the
material (Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s., 9, UN3077. III, RQ)
that are loaded into dump trucks, enclosed truck trailers, intermodal
containers or enclosed rail box cars.
shipping
You asked whether the above packaging configuration would satisfy the requirement
cars in 49 CFR 173.240.
for non-DOT specification sift-proof closed vehicles, closed bulk bins and closed
You also asked for our confirmation that the bulk bags
whether these bulk bags may be carried
are not subject to marking and labeling requirements.
onto flat bed trucks.
Your March 21 letter asks
A vehicle, bin or tail car may be rendered sift-proof in any manner that
structural features, such as integral gaskets
effectively accomplishes the performance requirement.
of liners, or non-structural
This may include use of
additional packaging materials, such as non-integral liners, bins, or inner
packagings.
closed vehicle, bin or rail car sift-proof.
Therefore, sift-proof bulk bags or drums may be used to render a
or drums were io release any of their contents in cransportacion, the performance
Obviously, if che inner bulk bags
requirement would not be
satisfied.
with regard to hazard communication requirements, che closed vehicle, bin or rail
provided in § 172.504(f) (9). However, the closed vehicle, bin, or rail car must
car is not required to display a Class 9 placard for domestic transportatior, as
be properly marked with the identification number displayed on an orange panel.
accordance with § 172.331.
a plain white square-on-point configuration,
Because the sift-proof inner drums or bulk bags are
or on a Class 9 placard in
[all car), the drums and bags loaded therein are not required to display package
considered additional
components of the bulk packaging (i.e., vehicle, bin or
by § 172.202(a) (5), should address the authorized bulk packaging rather chan the
markings of labels. The total quantity shown on the shipping paper, as required
inner. drums or bulk bags.
cocal quantity may be shown as "1 truck trailer", "1 bulk bin", or " 1 rail car"
To reduce confusion by enforcement personnel, she
to differentiate that the truck trailer. bulk
bin, or rail car is the bulk
or after the basic description.
packaging rather than the bags.
This information may be entered either before

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Apr. 27. 2005 12:42PM
No. 3374 P. 4
• :
Page 2
A dump truck covered with a tarpaulin of steel cover is considered a "closed
vehicle" under § 173.240.
loaded into closed vehicles satisfy the requirements of § 173.240. A flat bed
Therefore, as previously stated, sift-proof bulk bags
truck is not a "closed vehicle" and, therefore, is not authorized for use under
are loaded onto a flat bed truck is authorized under § 173.510 of the HMR, 1990
§ 173.240. However, the transport of bulk bags containing ferrous sulfate that
§§ 172.302 and 172,331.
In this case, the bulk bags must be marked in accordance with
this packaging auchorization under § 173.510 may no longer be used beginning on
Also, under the transitional provisions in 9 171.14,
October 1,
If we can be of further assistance, please feel free to contact us.
Sincerely.
Edward 7: Mazzul
¿dward I. Mazzull
Director, Office of Hazardous
Materials Standards
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