# The Fertilizer Institute — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 08-0059
- **title:** The Fertilizer Institute — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2008-07-29
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 08-0059 response to The Fertilizer Institute concerning 171.23, 172.102, 172.302.
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- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0059.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-08-0059
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2008/080059.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
JUL 2 9 2008
Ms. Pam Guffain
Vice President, Member Services
The Fertilizer Institute
820 First Street, N.E. Suite 430
Washington, D.C. 20002
Ref. No.: 08-0059
Dear Ms. Guffain:
This responds to your letter regarding the placarding requirements under the Hazardous
Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171 - 180) applicable to Anhydrous Ammonia
shipped from Canada to the United States. Specifically, you ask if the placard required under
Canada's Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations is acceptable when
shipping Anhydrous Ammonia from Canada into the United States by highway or rail.
The answer is yes. Shipments of Anhydrous Ammonia prepared in accordance with the TDG
Regulations are not required to be labeled or placarded with POISON INHALATION
HAZARD or POISON GAS labels or placards (See !j 17 1.23(b)(l O)(iv)). Thus, a package
containing "Anhydrous Ammonia" shipped to the United States from Canada by motor
carrier or rail car may be labeled or placarded in accordance with the TDG Regulations.
Special Provision "1 3", in !j 172.102, specifies that for "Anhydrous ammonia," the words
"Inhalation Hazard" must be entered on each shipping paper in association with the shipping
description, and each non-bulk package must be marked '"INHALATION HAZARD" in
association with the proper shipping name and identification number. Bulk packages must be
marked on two opposing sides with the words 'INHALATION HAZARD". The size of the
marking on bulk packages must conform to $ 172.302(b).
For your information, Amendment 6 of the TDG Regulations was published in the Canada
Gazette, Part I, on September 30,2006. The new subsection 4.18(5) requires that one of the
following placards must be displayed when UN1005, ANHYDROUS AMMONIA, is
contained in a large means of containment:
Until August 3 1,2008, the Class 2.2, Class 2.3 or the new Anhydrous Ammonia
placard (see the Appendix to Part 4 of the TDG Regulations);

<<<PAGE 2>>>

After August 3 1,2008, the Class 2.3 placard or the new Anhydrous Ammonia
placard; and
On at least two sides, the words bbAnhydrous Ammonia, Inhalation Hazard" on a
contrasting background in letters with a width of at least 6mrn and a height of at least
50 mm when the Anhydrous Ammonia placard is displayed on it.
I hope this satisfies your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.
Sincerely,
&,(3b - afl(j
Susan Gorsky
Acting Chief, Standards Development
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Enq rum Page 1 of 1
Drakeford, Carolyn cPHMSA>
From: Gorsky, Susan <PHMSA>
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 1.38 PM
To: Drakeford, Carolyn <PHMSA>
Subject: FW: Canadian Reclassification
I realize this is a bit unorthodox, but could you assign this for response? Her question relates to placarding
requirements for shipments of anhydrous ammonia from Canada into the United States. Specifically, she wants
to know if the placard required under Canada's Transport of Dangerous Goods regulations is acceptable when
the shipment comes into the United States.
Susan
From: Pam Guffain [mailto:PGuffain@tfi.org]
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1:59 PM
To: Gorsky, Susan <PHMSA>
Subject: Canadian Reclassification
Dear Susan,
Great meeting today. Thanks. We will be back in touch with you all soon on this issue.
As we talked, would you mind confirming in writing that our reciprocity is ok now that Canada has formally
reclassified ammonia. It would help my members if they saw it in writing!
Again, congratulations on your decision to retire!
Pam
Pam Guffain
Vice President, Member Services
The Fertilizer Institute
820 First Street, N.E., Suite 430
Washington, D. C. 20002
(202) 5 1 5-2704 - direct
(202) 257-3043 - cell
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