{"operation":"document","citation":"07-0132","title":"HMT Associates L.L.C. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2008-04-30","effective_on":null,"summary":"07-0132 response to HMT Associates L.L.C. concerning 178.700, 178.707.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0132.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0132.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-07-0132","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2007/070132.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nAPR 3 0 2008\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMr. E. A. Altemos\nHMT Associates, L.L.C.\nSuite 300\n603 King Street\nAlexandria, Virginia 223 14-3 105\nRef. No.: 07-0132\nDear Mr. Altemos:\nThis responds to your June 15,2007 letter, requesting clarification of requirements applicable\nto intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) under the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49\nCFR Parts 171 -1 80). Specifically, you ask if a composite IBC may be fitted with more than\none inner receptacle.\nA composite packaging, including a composite IBC, is a packaging that consists of an outer\npackaging and an inner receptacle constructed so that they form an integral packaging that is\nfilled, stored, shipped, and emptied as an integrated single unit. Standards for composite\nIBCs are set forth in 5 178.707 of the HMR. In accordance with 5 178.707(b)(l), a composite\nIBC consists of a rigid outer packaging enclosing a plastic inner receptacle, together with any\nservice or structural equipment. An IBC must have a volumetric capacity between 0.45 cubic\nmeters (450 L, 11 9 gallons, or 15.9 cubic feet) and not more than three cubic meters (3,000 L,\n793 gallons, or 106 cubic feet) or a maximum net mass of not less than 400 kg (882 pounds)\n(see, 6 178.700(~)(1)).\nAlthough not specifically prohibited under the HMR, the plain language of the regulatory text\napplicable to composite IBCs suggests that we did not intend to permit an IBC to be fitted\nwith two or more inner receptacles. In addition to the definition in 5 178.707(b)(l), the\nspecification references \"the inner receptacle\" in a number of places (see, for example,\n5 178.707(~)(1), (c)(2), (c)(3), (c)(3)(ii) and (c)(3)(iii)). Taken together, these references\nindicate that a composite IBC may contain only a single inner receptacle. Similarly, the\ncapacity requirements specified in 9 178.700(~)(1), which define the \"body\" of an IBC in\nterms of the \"receptacle proper,\" indicate that IBCs of all types including composite IBCs,\nconsist of a single receptacle, including openings and closures. Moreover, the capacity\nlimitations specified in 5 178.700(~)(1) are specified in terms of a composite IBC with a\nsingle inner receptacle and can not be applied directly to a packaging with multiple inner\nreceptacles.\nFor the reasons outlined above, it is the opinion of this office that a composite IBC may not be\nfitted with more than one inner receptacle. A composite IBC fitted with two or more inner\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nreceptacles may be authorized for the transportation of hazardous materials only under the\nterms of an approval or a special permit.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\ntur- dward T. Mazzullo\nDirector, Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nS c t h c ~ ? daite\n3176.707\nTbCs\nHMT ASSOCIATES, L-L-C. 07- 0 132\n803 KING ST.\nSUITE 300\nALEXANDRIA, VA 2231 4-31 05 €.A. ALTEMOS\nPATRICIA A. QUlNN\n-\nFACSIMILE: 703-549-0728\nWRITER'S DIRECT DIAL NUMBER\n(703) 549-0727, Ext. 11\nJune 1 5,2007\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nDirector, Office of IIazardous\nMaterials Standards (PI-111-1 0)\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\nDepartment of Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nEast Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nDear Mr. Mazzullo:\nThis is to request your confinnation of my understanding of the provisions ofthe Department\nof Transportation's Hazardous Materials Regulations (\"the H M R ; 49 CFR Parts 17 1 - 1 80) as they\nrelate to composite intermediate bulk containers (IBCs). Specifically, it is my understanding from\nreviewing thc applicable regulations that a composite IBC, for example, a type 3 1HA1 IBC (a\ncomposite IBC consisting of a plastic inner receptacle within a metal outer packaging), may be\nconstructed with more than one inner receptacle. 'I'hat is, a composite IBC may be fitted with o&\none inner receptacle.\nWhile this issue is not explicitly addressed in thc l-IMR, 1 believe it is implicit from a number\nof provisions that a composite IBC may be fitted with on& one inner receptacle. For example, the\ndefinition for \"composite IBC\" in 5 178.707(b)(l) of the HMR states in pertinent part that a\ncomposite IBC \"is an IBC which consists of a rigid outer packaging enclosing 3 plastic inner\nreceptacle ...\" (emphasis added). In addition, in the description provided in fj 178.707(a) of the\nvarious IBC type designations, each IBC type designation is described as a type of IBC with either\n\"a - rigid plastic inner receptacle\" or \"_a flexible plastic inner receptacle\" (emphasis added). Moreover,\nin the construction requirements for composite IBCs, in 5 178.707(~)(3) the inner receptacle is\nreferred to in the singular, for example ''W inner receptacle must be manufactured from plastic\nmaterial of known specifications ...\" and ''U inner receptacle of 3 1HZ2 composite 1BCs must\nconsist of at least three plies of film\" (emphasis added). Finally, in describing the required periodic\ninspection of composite IRCs, it states in 5 180.352(b)(2)(iii) that ''U inncr receptacle of a\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nHMT ASSO(.?IATEG, T~.L.C:.\nMr. Edward T. Mazzullo\nJune 15,2007\nPage 2\ncomposite IBC must be removed from the outer IBC body for inspection unless the inner receptacle\nis bonded to the outer body or unless the outer body is constructed in such a way (e.g., a welded or\nriveted cage) that removal of & inner receptacle is not possible without impairing the integrity of\nthe outer body\" (emphasis added).\nThus, in each of the above provisions reference to the inner receptacle is in the singular. On\nthe other hand, if it were intended that more than one inner receptacle may be placed in thc rigid\nouter packaging of a composite IBC, in each of the provisions cited above references to the inner\nreceptacle presumably would have been in the plural (i.e., \"inner receptacles\" or \"inner\nreceptacle(s)\"). This would be consistent with terminology used throughout the HMR, for example,\nthe references to inner packagings in the definitions for \"combination packaging\" and \"large\npackaging\" in 4 17 1.8, where it is intended that an outer packaging may contain more than one inncr\npackaging or inner receptacle.\nIn summary, for the reasons outlined above, it is my understanding that implicit in the HMR\nprovisions prescribing the definition, and construction and inspection requirements, for composite\nIBCs, is that a composite IBC may be fitted with o& one inner receptacle. Your confirmation that\nmy understanding in this regard is correct will be most appreciated. Thank you for your\nconsideration of this matter, and please do not hesitate to contact me if you have questions\nconcerning this request, or if you require additional information.\nSincerely,\nE. A. Altemos\ncc: Mr. Charlcs Hochrnan (PHH-20)\nMr. Don Burger (PHH-22)\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nT KEEP THIS END UP 1\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nPRODUCE\nICALADAINC\nBEFORE\nVENT TANK\nACAUTION\nCLOSED\nAS A STANDARD STEM VALVE\nTHIS VALVE OPERATES\nOPEN","truncated":false,"body_characters":7098}