# NM Scientific Lab — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 07-0023
- **title:** NM Scientific Lab — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2007-03-01
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 07-0023 response to NM Scientific Lab concerning 173.6.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070023.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

of Transportation
U.S. Department
400 Seventh Street, S.W.
Wash ngton, D.C. 20590
Pipeline and
Administration
Hazardous Materials Safety
MAR
1 2007
Ms. Pamela Morden MT (ASCP), MPH
Ref. No. 07-0023
Laboratory Bioterrorism Readiness Coodinator
NM Scientific Lab
700 Comino de Salud NE
Albuquerque, NM 87196-4700
Dear Ms. Morden:
This is in response to your January 25, 2007 e-mail regarding the materials of trade exceptions
(MOTS) under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). You
state that you receive potential pathogens (formerly belonging to risk group 2 and 3) that have
been isolated from patients for further identification and testing. You ask whether a private
courier service can use MOTS to transport non-Category A cultures that are intentionally
propagated, but are not contained in human or animal samples.
The answer is no. Under § 173.6 of the HMR, the MOTS exception may be used to transport a
Division 6.2 material, other than a Category A infectious substance, contained in human or
animal samples (including, but not limited to, secreta, excreta, blood and its components,
tissue and tissue fluids, and body parts) being transported for research, diagnosis,
investigational activities, or disease treatment or prevention, or is a biological product or
regulated medical waste.
Although your material is other than a Category A infectious substance, it is not contained in
human or animal samples and, therefore, does not meet the requirements for the NOTS
exception for Division 6.2 material found under § 173.6.
I hope this information is helpful.
Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
173.6
070023

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Foster
Page 1 of 1
3173.4
Jarman, Erin <PHMSA>
MOT
01-0023
From:
Morden, Pam, DOH [Pam.morden@state.nm.us]
Sent:
Thursday, January 25, 2007 1:31 PM
To:
INFOCNTR <PHMSA>
Cc:
Oty, Gary, DOH; Nihart, John, DOH; Bell, Melissa, DOH
Subject: Request for Written Response to Question About 49 CFR Part 173.6
Hello, DOT Hotline Staff:
I submitted a similar question to the one below via your website on July 13, 2006 and received a very quick and
satisfactory reply by phone from Rob, but now that we're passing the information on to others we've been aske
o supply the DOT's response in writing. Could you help us out? Thank-you kindly
Category: Shippers-General Requirements for Shipments and Packaging (Sections 173.1 - 173.476)
still unclear about this: can a private courier service transport non-Category A "cultures" (i.e., Category B
Comments/Question: I've read the new (June 2, 2006) 49 CFR Part 173.6 (Materials of Trade Exceptions) but am
intectious substances, intentionally propagated, but not contained in human or animal samples)? This issue is
extremely important to us as a Public Health Laboratory, as our submitters must often send potential pathogens
formerly belonging to risk groups 2 & 3) isolated from patients to us for further identification and testing.
Laboratory Bioterrorism Readiness Coordinator
Pamela Morden MT(ASCP), MPH
700 Camino de Salud NE
NM Scientific Lab
office: (505) 841-2511
Albuquerque, New Mexico 87196-4700
fax: (505) 841-2543
cell: (505) 250-6244
e-mail: pam.morden@state.nm.us
Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail, including all attachments is for the sole use of the intended recipient
(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review: use, disclosure
or distribution is prohibited unless specifically provided under the New Mexico Inspection of Public
message. -- This email has been scanned by the Sybari - Antigen Email System.
Records Act. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender and destroy all copies of this
1/26/2007
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