{"operation":"document","citation":"07-0007","title":"Foley & Lardner, LLP — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2007-02-28","effective_on":null,"summary":"07-0007 response to Foley & Lardner, LLP concerning 171.1, 172.101.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0007.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0007.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0007","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070007.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nJ.S. Departmen\nf Transportatior\n400 Seventh Street, S.W.\nWashirigton, D.C. 20590\nPipeline and\nAdministration\nHazardous Materials Safety\nFEB 28 2007\nMs. Katherine E. Lazarski\nRef. No.: 07-0007\nFoley & Lardner, LLP\n777 East Wisconsin Avenue\nMilwaukee, WI 53202-5306\nDear Ms. Lazarski:\nThis is in response to your December 26, 2006 letter regarding the applicability of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) to the transportation of\ncertain ultracapacitors. In your letter, you state the ultracapacitors consist of activated\ncarbon saturated with a solution of quaternary salt and acetonitrile contained in an\naluminum container sealed with a rubber bung. The ultracapacitors are individually\npackaged in vacuum sealed plastic bags in quantities between 50 and 500 depending on\nsize. The plastic bags are placed in a corrugated fiberboard box surrounded by foam\npacking peanuts. Individual ultracapacitors contain between 0.09 grams and 6.58 grams\nof acetonitrile.\nYou cite a letter of interpretation dated May 20, 2003, in which we provided a\ndetermination, based on information provided in that letter, that an ultracapacitor\ncontaining 1.5 grams or less of acetonitrile absorbed in activated carbon in a sealed steel\ncontainer is in a quantity and a forrn that does not pose a hazard in transportation. An\nultracapacitor of a similar construction containing 1.5 grams or less of acetonitrile\ncontained in a sealed aluminum container packaged in individual, vacuum sealed plastic\nbags is also in a quantity and form that does not pose a hazard in transportation\nHowever, you did not provide information for us to determine if the ultracapacitors\nreferenced in your letter that contain greater than 1.5 grams of acetonitrile are in a\nquantity and form that does not pose a hazard in transportation. Therefore, the\nultracapacitors described in your letter that contain greater than 1.5 grams of acetonitrile,\nshould be described as \"Dangerous Goods in Apparatus, 9, UN3363\" (see § 173.222).\nAlternatively, these ultracpacitors may be transported in accordance with the small\nquantity exceptions, provided the requirements of § 173.4 are met.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if you require additional assistance.\nSincere\nChief, Standards Development\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\n171.1\n172./01\n070007\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nLeary\nFOLEY\n$171.1\nATTORNEYS AT LAW\nFOLEY & LARDNER LLP\n§172,101\n777 EAST WISCONSIN AVENUE\nApplica bubitmber 26,2006\n414.271.2400 TEL\nMILWAL KEE, WI 53202-5306\n414.297.4900 FAX\nVIA HAND DELIVERY\n07-0007\nwww.foley.com\n414.297.5657\nWRITER'S DIRECT LINE\nklazarski@foley.com EMAIL\n183525.0100\nCLIENT/ MATTER NUMBER\nJoseph Solomey\nAssistant Chief Counsel\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n400 7th Street, SW\nRoom 8417\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nRe:\nTecate Industries Ultracapacitors\nDear Mr. Solomey:\nregarding applicability of the hazardous materials transportation regulations at 49 CFR 171-180 (the\nI am writing today on behalf of Tecate Industries (\"Tecate\") to request clarification\n\"HMR\") to small ultracapacitors.\nTecate is a provider of capacitors, ultracapacitors and other materials to the electronics\nsmall ultracapacitors. In 2003, Maxwell requested a written interpretation that their ultracapacitors were\nindustry. Tecate is currently a distributor for Maxwell Technologies (\"Maxwell\"), which manufactures\na copy of the letter for your review.\nnot subject to the HMR, and received such an interpretation by letter dated May 20, 2003. I have attached\nultracapacitors are very similar to the Maxwell ultracapacitors, and for that reason Tecate believes they\nTecate has a new line of ultracapacitors called \"TPL\" ultracapacitors. These\nare also not subject to the HMR. Both the Maxwell and TPL ultracapacitors contain a small quantity of\nis very small (see table below) and, for the reasons discussed below, Tecate does not believe they pose a\nabsorbed acetonitrile (a flammable liquid) inside the ultracapacitor, however, the quantity of acetonitrile\nrisk in transportation.\nThe TPL ultracapacitors are manufactured in a variety of sizes, which are listed below\n(physically, about the same size as a standard C battery or smaller). The ultracapacitors are small\nacetonitrile. The largest of the TPL capacitors contains less than 7 grams of acetonitrile. The aluminum\nnot be ingested.\nBRUSSELS\nBOSTON\nSACRAMENTO\nDETROIT\nCHICAGO\nMILWAUKEE\nSAN DIEGO/DEL MAR\nSAN DIEGO\nTAMPA\nTALLAHASSEE\nJACKSONVILLE\nEW YORI\nTOKYO\nIRLANDO\nWASHINGTON, D.C\nMILW_2161149.1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nThe amount of acetonitrile in each TPL capacitor is provided below:\nSeries\nVoltage\nCapacitance\n(V)\n(F)\nDimension\n(D*L)\nAcetonitrile (g)\nContent of\nTPL\n2.7V\nTPL\n2.7V\n100\n22*45\n70\n20*40\n6.58\nTPL\n2.7V\nTPL\n2.7V\n70\n18*45\n3.48\n70\n20*40\n3.18\nTPL\n2.7V\n3.70\n60\n18º45\n3.36\nTPL\n2.7V\n50\n18*40\n3.14\nTPL\n2.7V\n30\n16*31.5\n2.07\nTPL\n2.7V\n25\n16*25\n1.68\nTPL\n2.7V\n22\n12.5*35.5\n1.42\nTPL\nTPL\n2.7V\n10\n2.7V\n10*30\n0.90\nTPL\n2.7V\n2\n4\n10*20\n8*16\n0.38\n0.17\nTPL\nTPL\n2.7V\n2.7V\n0.5\n1.5\n8*12\n8*14\n0.14\n0.09\nbetween 50 and 500, depending on size.\nThe capacitors are packaged in vacuum sealed watertight plastic bags in quantities of\nsurrounded by Styrofoam packing peanuts. Therefore, even if an ultracapacitor were to leak, the\nThe plastic bags are then placed in corrugated cardboard boxes\nminimal amount of acetonitrile should be contained in the plastic bag or absorbed by the packing\npeanuts. Although the TPL ultracapacitors are a new product, Tecate has been shipping the very similar\nMaxwell ultracapacitors for many years without any incident.\ncontain hazardous materials in \"an amount and form\" that poses an \"unreasonable risk to health and\nFor the above mentioned reasons, Tecate believes that the TPL ultracapacitors do not\nultracapacitors are subject to the regulations. Ultracapacitors themselves are not listed on the table at 49\nsafety or property.\" See 49 U.S.C. § 5103(a). In reviewing the HMR, it is unclear whether the TPL\nCFR 172.101. Acetonitrile is listed on the table as a flammable liquid, however the ultracapacitors\nappear to meet the exceptions for Class 3 flammable liquids in § 173.150 because the inner packagings\ncontain less than 1.0 L. However, it is unclear to us if this exception applies to all of the HMR or if it is\nmore limited. In addition, these TPL ultracapacitors are very similar to the Maxwell ultracapacitors\nwhich DOT has already confirmed are not subject to the HMR\nsubject to the HMR. If you require any additional information, please do not hesitate to contact me at\nWe are requesting, therefore, your confirmation that the TPL ultracapacitors are not\n(414) 297-5657.\nBest regards,\nEnclosures\nKatherine E. Lazarsk\nCC:\nTom Wight\nMILW_2161149.1","truncated":false,"body_characters":6768}