# Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 09-0088
- **title:** Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2010-06-03
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 09-0088 response to Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc. concerning 178.602.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-09-0088.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-09-0088.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-09-0088
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2009/090088.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590
JUN 2 5 2010
Mr. Bob Korman
President
Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc.
116 Cascade Way
Coppell, TX 75019
Ref. No. 09-0088
Dear Mr. Korman:
This responds to your letter requesting clarification of the preparation requirements for testing
non-bulk combination packaging and package designs under Subpart M of Part 178 of the
Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask whether
a combination packaging design (e.g., UN 40), originally tested with inner packagings
containing liquids, may be used to package solid materials without further testing. I apologize
for the delay in responding to your letter and any inconvenience it may have caused.
The HMR, at § 178.602, require each packaging and package to be closed in preparation for
testing and tests to be carried out in the same manner as if prepared for transportation, including
inner packagings in the case of combination packagings. Therefore, a combination packaging
design originally tested with inner packagings containing liquids may not be used to package
solid materials, as a single package or otherwise, without further testing.
I trust this satisfies your inquiry. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.
Sincerely,
~~
Hattie L. Mitchell
Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards

<<<PAGE 2>>>

Road
Runner
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Rocketry, Inc. Dq-O()~Q"
116 Cascade Way Coppell, TX 75019, 972-462-9220
Fax 1-866-280-6582
www.RoadrunnerRocketry.com
April 8, 2009
Office of Hazardous Materials Standards
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
U.S. Department of Transportation
East Building
1200 New Jersey Ave, SE
Washington, DC 20590-0001
Attention: PHH-10
Sent via email to infocntr@DOT.gov
Dear sirs:
Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc. is writing to determine if a particular UN4G rated
package is acceptable for shipping certain hazardous solids.
Background
Uline Corporation sells a line of UN4G boxes designed primarily for shipping
liquids in gallon and quart containers. They can be seen online at
www.uline.com/BL 5304/Hazardous-Materials-Box-Shippers.
The boxes have a packaging code of Y, indicating their acceptability for Packing
Group II and III materials. They are also marked S, indicating they are certified
for use as combination packaging, or for single packaging intended to contain
solids.
However, a flap on the Uline boxes indicate that the box is "UN4G compliant only
when all parts of combination package are used and assembled properly."
Another flap lists those components: gallon (or quart) cans, locking rings, and
foam inserts - components obviously used for shipping liquids.

<<<PAGE 3>>>

Roadrunner ships model rocket motors classified as 1.4C or 1.4S explosives,
Packing Group II, instruction 134. These model rocket motors are solids and are
packaged in inner packages as specified in instruction 134.
Question
Can Roadrunner use these Uline boxes as outer packaging to ship its solid
products (in appropriate inner packaging as specified in instruction 134) without
using the components specified on the flap of the boxes (cans, locking rings and
foam inserts)?
Another way of stating this is to ask whether it is correct to say that the statement
on the box that it is "UN4G compliant only when all parts of the combination
package are used ... " is only applicable to shipping liquids and that the box is
compliant for shipping appropriate solids without the indicated components.
I appreciate your prompt attention to this request as Roadrunner will shortly need
to purchase additional UN4G packaging.
Should you need clarification or additional information in order to answer my
questions, please call me at 972-462-9220. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Bob Korman
President
Roadrunner Rocketry, Inc.
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