# The Wicks Group, PLLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 09-0025
- **title:** The Wicks Group, PLLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2009-03-12
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 09-0025 response to The Wicks Group, PLLC concerning 172.102.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2009/090025.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
MAR 1 2 2009
1200 New Jersey Ave, S.E.
Washington, D.C. 20590
Mr. Lindsay W. McGuire
The Wicks Group, PLLC
12 15 1 7th Street, N W
Summer Square, Fourth Floor
Washington, DC 20036
Ref. No. 09-0025
Dear Mr. McGuire:
This responds to your January 27,2009 letter requesting clarification on behalf of your client
of labeling requirements for limited quantities of gas cartridges transported under the
International Maritime Dangerous (IMDG) Code. Specifically, you ask for verification that
there is no requirement to place a 2.1 flammable gas hazard warning label on individual
packages containing limited quantities of UN 2037, Receptacles, small, containing gas (gas
cartridges), being shipped by vessel.
According to your letter, your client manufactures and distributes outdoor cooking systems.
It offers 100-gram canisters of cooking fuel, which is shipped by vessel from a supplier in
Korea under the IMDG Code. The Korean supplier will no longer ship the product without
affixing the 2.1 hazard warning label to the packages containing the cooking systems. The
supplier has indicted that it must have a letter fiom the United States government clarifying
that labeling is not required for limited quantities of UN 2037, Receptacles, small, containing
gas (gas cartridges) before it will ship the cooking systems without the 2.1 hazard warning
label.
Your understanding is correct. The 2.1 flammable gas hazard warning label is not required
on packages containing limited quantities of UN 2037 materials based on exceptions
provided in the IMDG Code. In accordance with paragraphs 3.4.5 and 3.4.7 of the IMDG
Code, limited quantities of dangerous goods for personal or household use that are packaged
and distributed in a form intended or suitable for retail sale are excepted from marking and
labeling requirements. Under Special Provision 277 of the IMDG Code, for materials
shipped as UN 2037, receptacles of up to 1,000 ml are considered limited quantities. The
cooking systems manufactured by your client meet the limited quantity threshold of IMDG
Code Special Provision 277. Therefore, in accordance with IMDG Code 3.4.7, packages

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containing the cooking systems are not required to be marked with the UN number nor are
they required to be labeled with the 2.1 hazard class label.
I hope this answers your inquiry.
Sincer ly,
Charles ~ . \ ~ e t t s
Chief, Standards Development
ffice of Hazardous Materials Standards k

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1215 17th Street, NW, Sumner Square, Fourth Floor 5/72 * 102
Washington, DC 20036 w7(* /Z
Tel: 202.457.7790 Fax: 202.457.7799 A p p ~ , r a d [ 5
Washington, DC 09-0025
January 27,2009
Mr. Shane Kelley
US DOT PHMSA
1200 New Jersey Ave., SE
Second Floor
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Re: Clarification on Exemption of Limited Quantities from International
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code Marking Requirements
Dear Mr. Kelley:
Following our conversation on January 14,2009, I am writing on behalf of a
client of The Wicks Group, PLLC ("TWG"), to request a letter of clarification indicating
that there is no requirement to place a red 2.1-hazard class label on individual packages
containing limited quantities of UN 2037 (receptacles, small, containing gas (gas
cartridges)).
Our client manufacturers and distributes outdoor cooking systems. It offers, as
part of its line of products, 100 gram canisters of cooking fuel ("Product"). The Product
is shipped by vessel from a supplier in Korea and therefore is subject to the International
Maritime Dangerous Goods ("IMDG") Code,
The Korean supplier has informed us that it will no longer ship the Product
without affixing the red hazard class label to the packages containing the individual
receptacles of LTN 2037, indicating that there is a flammable gas inside. Despite our
assurances that this is not required by the IMDG Code, the supplier has indicated that it
must have a letter from the United States government clarifying that such an action is not
necessary.
It is our understanding that the individual packages containing the Product do not
require this hazard class label for international maritime shipment. Pursuant to IMDG
Code 3.4.7, limited quantities of dangerous goods for personal or household use that are
packaged and distributed in a form intended or suitable for sale through retail agencies
are in addition exempt from marking of the UN number on the packaging and, pursuant
to a footnote added in the 2006 edition, the diamond mark is not required. Pursuant to

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LMDG Code Special Provision 277, receptacles of up to lOOOml of UN 2037 may be
considered a liinited quantity.
The Product meets the limited quantities threshold of TMDG Code Special
Provision 277. Therefore, pursuant to IMDG Code 3.4.7, it is exempt from marking of
the UN number on the packaging and the red hazard class label is not requii-ed to be
affixed to the packages containing receptacles of limited quantities of UN 2037. While
we understand that the steamship container must have a placard indicating that within it
there are either packages containing a flammable gas or a limited quantity of dangerous
goods, the hazard class label is not required on the packages within that container
because of the limited quantities exception for UN 2037.
We respectfully request a letter of clarification indicating that this interpretation is
conect and that there is no need for the foreign supplier to affix the hazard class label to
individual cylinder boxes during international maritime shipment. Please send the letter
to my attention at The Wicks Group, PLLC. If you have any questions, please contact
me at (202) 457-7790 or via email at lmcnuire@wicks-a-ouv.con~.
Sincerely,
Lindsay ~ . ~ c ~ u i r e
CC: Glenn P. Wicks
The Wicks Group, PLLC
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