# Transportation Development Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 06-0169
- **title:** Transportation Development Group — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2006-08-24
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 06-0169 response to Transportation Development Group concerning 171.8, 173.150.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0169.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-06-0169
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2006/060169.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department
of Transportation
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration
ANG 24 2006
President
Mr. Jim Powell
Ref. No.: 06-0169
Transportation Development Group
2390 Crenshaw Blvd, Ste 513
Torrance, CA 90501
Dear Mr. Powell:
sale" as it applies to sales of consumer commodities shipped in accordance with the
This responds to your letter of July 19, 2006 regarding interpretation of the term "retail
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180).
According to your letter, Transportation Development Group (IDG) has a client who
businesses that repackage them for sale to a consumer. Your client also has a
manufactures and distributes fragrances and flavorings. Most items are sold to other
manufacturer-direct model where a consumer can log into their website and buy the same
product in the same configuration. For example: TDG sells product ABC, a PG II
fiberboard box. The package meets all of the requirements for consumer commodity
flammable liquid, as a perfumery product and packages it in a 5 L metal can in a
are marked as an ORM-D and shipped overnight by UPS (marked ORM-D Air) for
(i.e., up to 5 L for PG Il perfume [SP149]) and not over 30 kg gross weight. Packages
delivery to a person who ordered it on the internet.
Q1.
Could TDG mark and label all of its shipments of product "ABC" as a Consumer
theoretically possible that a "consumer" would want to purchase a gallon size
Commodity, regardless of the nature of an individual shipment because it's
metal can of perfume?
Al.
A consumer commodity is defined as a material that is both packaged and
strumentalities for consumption by individuals for purposes of personal care (
istributed in a form intended or suitable for sale through retail sales agencies ‹
household use. Even though a material may not be intended for retail
consumption, it may be suitable for such usage and, therefore, may meet the
flavorings. Therefore, if the fragrances and flavorings described in your letter
definition of consumer commodity. Such products may include fragrances anc
qualify for reclassification and are packaged accordingly, they may be describer
as a "Consumer commodity", and reclassed as ORM-D material, even if no
intended for personal or household use.
111.8
173.150
060169

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Packages of ORM-D material must be marked "Consumer Commodity, ORM-D"
in accordance with § 172.316. Shipments of ORM-D materials are not subject to
the shipping paper requirements of Subpart C of Part 172 of the HMR unless the
material meets the definition of a hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or
marine pollutant, or unless offered for transportation by air. Section 173.156
provides additional exceptions for shipments of ORM-D materials.
Q2.
Is sale from a manufacturer over the Internet direct to a user considered "retail"
sale, or is there some obligation on the part of the seller/shipper to determine the
nature of the person buying the product before allowing the product to be
reclassed as a "consumer commodity"?
A2.
In order for your products to be renamed "Consumer commodity" and reclassed
for consumer commodity in § 171.8; (2) the material is authorized in packaging
as ORM-D, each product must meet the following requirements: (1) the definition
exceptions in Column (8A) of the § 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table; (3) the
and (4) the material is properly prepared for shipment in accordance with the
referenced packaging exception allows an exception for shipment as an ORM-D;
consumer commodity provisions.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
?
¿ John A. Gale
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Chief, Standards Development

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Transportation Development
group
logisticstraining.com
415 Dairy Road, PMB E234, Kahului, HI 96732
(800) 949-4834 | (800) 527-5121 FAX
jim@dgtraining.com
Engrum
July 19, 2006
§ 171.8
Interpretation Request
Mr. Edward T. Mazzullo
$173.150
400 7th Street S.W. DHM10
PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Definition (oRms
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Dear Mr. Mazzullo:
What is the definition and or interpretation of the term "retail sale"?
Before the internet and the "big box" stores I think it was easier to determine what was retail and what
So, in looking at the definition of a consumer commodity, numerous other interpretations by your office
have made it clear that the item doesn't actually have to be sold at retail, or even sold to a customer; it just
must be in a form "suitable" for such a sale.
I have a client who manufactures and distributes fragrances and flavorings. Most of these items are sold
to other businesses who then repackage them for sale to a consumer. However, they do have a
manufacturer-direct model where consumer can log into their website and buy the same product in the
same configuration.
cames thin a l met sella pin tiberboard POx. The mable mid a l perfumer prode a
consumer commodity (i.e. up to SL* for PG I perfume i*SP 149] and not over 30 kg gross veight. It is
ckages it in a › . metal can in a tiberboard hoxin
marked and labeled as an ORM-D and is shipped overnight by UPS (marked ORM-D Air) for delivery to
someone who orders it over the internet.
Commodity as a matter of course, regardless of the nature of an individual shipment because it's
Question #1: Could this company mark and label all of shipments of product ABC as a Consumer
theoretically possible that a "consumer" would want to purchase a gallon size metal can of perfume?
there some obligation on the part of the seller/shipper to determine the nature of the person buying the
Question #2: Is sale from a manufacturer over the internet direct to a user considered "retail" sale, or is
product before allowing the product to be reclassed as a "consumer commodity". I hope the answer is
"no" but this doesn't seem very practicable.
2390 Crenshaw Blvd, Ste 513, Torrance, CA 90501
TDG Los Angeles
(310) 302-0808 | FAX (310) 302-0809

<<<PAGE 4>>>

Transportation Development
-group
logisticstraining.com
Thank you!
Sincerely,
gintice
Jim Powell
President
jim@dgtraining.com
1-310-302-0808
2390 Crenshaw Blvd, Ste 513, Torrance, CA 90501
TDG Los Angeles
(310) 302-0808 | FAX (310) 302-0809
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