# Mr. Dave Middleton — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 07-0016
- **title:** Mr. Dave Middleton — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2007-03-20
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 07-0016 concerning 173.22.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0016.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0016.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0016
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070016.pdf
**body:**

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of Transportation
U.S. Department
Washington, D.C. 20590
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration
MAR - 0 2007
Mr. Dave Middleton
75 Garden Drive
Reference No. 07-0016
Montgomery, IL 60538
Dear Mr. Middleton:
This is in response to your January 12, 2007 letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous
for Division 6.2 (infectious substance) materials apply to the transportation of blood and/or other
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask if the regulations
body fluids and materials collected for disposal at various crime scene or unattenced death clean-
up operations. You state these materials may or may not have come from persons infected with
various diseases.
The HMR define a Division 6.2 material under § 173.134 as a material known to contain or
suspected of containing a pathogen. In accordance with § 173.22, it is the shipper's
responsibility to properly class and describe a hazardous material. This office does not perform
that function. A shipper must classify the waste generated from a crime scene as a Division 6.2
material if he or she knows or suspects it contains a Category A or Category B pathogen, as
defined in § 173.134(a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii). Category A infectious substance pathogenic material
is in a form that is capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in
otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure to it occurs. Category B infectious
substance pathogenic material includes all other infectious substances that do not ineet the
Category A definition. A material that is not known or suspected to contain an infectious
substance and does not meet the definition of another hazardous material is not regulated under
I hope this information is helpful.
Sincerely,
Hatsable
Hattie L. Mitchell, Chief
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Regulatory Review and Reinvention
173.22
173.134
070016

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Edmonson
$ 113.134
Dave Middleton
75 Garden Dr
Infectious Substances
January 12, 2007
Montgomery, IL 60538
07-0016
U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration
400 Seventh Street, SW
Room 8410
Washington, DC 20590
Dear U.S. DOT:
I am writing to ask you for clarification of HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180. Specifically
does transporting the byproduct of cleaning up after a crime scene, homicide, suicide or
unattended death i.e. bloody carpet, bloody towels, rags, sometimes small pieces of skull,
substance) or in 173.2. In most (if not all) cases it is not known if the deceased was
or brain matter fall under any DOT guidelines in 173.134 Division 6.2 (infectious
infected with anything infectious. My understanding of this HMR is that this type of
transportation does not require any special permits, DOT numbers or labels. Is that
correct? 1 am starting a new company for this service and I want to be certain I comply
my files. Thank You for your help in this matter.
with OSHA, DOT and EPA standards. Please respond by mail to the above address for
Sincerely,
DiA
Dave Middleton
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