# Riceland Foods, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 11-0145
- **title:** Riceland Foods, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2011-08-31
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 11-0145 response to Riceland Foods, Inc. concerning 173.2a.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0145.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0145.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-11-0145
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretations/2011/110145.pdf
**body:**

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U.S. Deportment 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE
of Transportation Washington. DC 20590
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety
Administration
AUG 31 2011
Mr. Bob Cogen
Manager, Air Dangerous Goods Compliance
United Parcel Service
6406 Grade Lane
Louisville, K Y 40213
Ref. No. 11-0145
Dear Mr. Cogen:
This responds to your June 10,2011 request for clarification ofthe Hazardous Materials
Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you ask if an excepted package of a
Class 7 (radioactive) material that also meets the definition of a hazardous substance may be
classed and described as "UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s., 9, III"
or "UN3082, Environmentally hazardous substance, liquid, n.o.s., 9, III" (as applicable) under
the provisions of § 173.2a(c)(5).
The answer is no. Section 173.2a(c)(5) applies to a material that meets the definition ofmore
than one hazard class or division. An excepted package of a Class 7 (radioactive) material
cannot also meet the definition of a Class 9 (miscellaneous) material under the HMR. A Class
9 (miscellaneous) material is defmed in § 173.140 as a material which presents a hazard in
transportation but which does not meet the definition of any other hazard class. The excepted
package described in your letter meets the definition ofa Class 7 (radioactive) material. An
example of an appropriate basic description for an excepted package of radioactive material
that is also a hazardous substance is "UN29 10, Radioactive material excepted package-limited
quantity of material, 7, RQ."
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office
at (202) 366-8553.
StY~
Ben Supko
Acting Chief, Standards Development
Standards and Rulemaking Division

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Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)
From: Stevens, Michael (PHMSA)
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2011 8:33 AM
To: rcogen@ups.com
Cc: Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA); Foster, Glenn (PHMSA)
Subject: RE: Radioactive UN2910 RQ 4
Importance: High
Good Morning Bob,
I wifl pass your request on for a response. Thanks.
Regards,
Michael
From: rcogen@ups.com [mailto:rcogen@ups.com]
Sent: Friday, June 10, 2011 6:39 PM
To: Stevens, Michael (PHMSA)
Subject: Radioactive UN2910 RQ 4
Hello Michael,
I hope you can help me or possibly direct me to someone who can provide some
clarification on a question concerning the classification and documentation of radioactive
excepted packages (UN2010 and UN2011) that require shipping papers under the
provisions of 49 CFR 173.421, 173.422, 173.423, and 173.424 because they are also
hazardous substances.
Our company, other carriers, and many of our customers have been very confused
concerning the proper classification and description of these packages on shipping
papers. We have also had some significant difficulties passing data to carriers of other
modes whose information systems require information for Class 7 shipments that is not
applicable to an excepted package. After many hours of discussion we have narrowed
our discussion to the following question.
Mayan excepted package of radioactive material (UN2910 or UN2911) that meets the
definition of a hazardous substance "Rail but of no other hazard class be classed as
"UN3077, Environmentally Hazardous Substance Solid, NOS, 9, III" or "UN3082,
Environmentally Hazardous Substance Liquid, NOS, 9, 11I"(as applicable) under the
provisions of 173.2a(c)(5).
We would of course require the material to be properly packaged, marked, and labelled as
a class 9 and bear all the required markings for a radioactive excepted package per 49
CFR Part 173, Sub-Part I.
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We greatly appreciate your guidance on this issue and thank you in advance for your
assistance.
Best regards
Bob Cogen
Manager, Air Dangerous Goods Compliance
6406 Grade Lane
Louisville, KY 40213
Phone: (502) 359-2951
Fax: (502) 359 2901
Cell: (502) 424-7970
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