# Northern Air Cargo, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 13-0181
- **title:** Northern Air Cargo, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2014-02-25
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** 13-0181 response to Northern Air Cargo, Inc. concerning 171.8.
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- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0181
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130181.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
FEB 2 5 2014
Mr. Mark Smith
Northern Air Cargo Inc.
3900 Old International Airport Rd.
Anchorage, AK 99502
Ref. No. 13-0181
Dear Mr. Smith:
This responds to your September 2, 2013 request for clarification and a follow up telephone
conversation with a member of our staff on the use of the "RQ, Waste Environmentally
hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III" proper shipping description. In your letter, you
ask whether the United States (US) Variations to the International Civil Aviation
Organization's Technical Instructions (ICAO TI), specifically Variation 4, may conflict with
the § 172.102 Special Provision (SP) 146 in the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49
CFR Parts 171-180) in regard to the use of the environmentally hazardous substance proper
shipping description.
In the HMR, SP 146 addresses materials which do not meet the HMR definitions of hazardous
waste, hazardous substance or a hazard class but have been deemed environmentally
hazardous by a Competent Authority other than the US. Specifically, SP 146 permits these
materials to use the environmentally hazardous substance proper shipping names both
domestically and internationally.
On the other hand, Variation 4 ofthe US Variations to the ICAO TI, addresses materials that
meet the HMR definitions for a hazardous waste or a hazardous substance. Therefore,
Variation 4 would not be in conflict with SP 146 because Variation 4 addresses HMR
regulated hazardous wastes or hazardous substances and SP 146 addresses material which do
not meet the HMR definitions of a hazardous waste, hazardous substance or hazard class but
have been deemed environmentally hazardous by another Competent Authority.
Based on this clarification, your questions are paraphrased and answered below
Q 1. For a material not meeting the HMR definition of a hazardous waste or substance
may the proper shipping description "UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance,
solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III" be used?

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AI. In accordance with § 172.102 SP 146, for a material not meeting the HMR
definition of a hazardous waste or substance or any hazard class, the proper shipping
description "UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9,
III" may only be used if another Competent Authority has deemed the material
environmentally hazardous. This provision may be used for both domestic and
international shipments.
Q2. For a material meeting the HMR definition of a hazardous waste or substance
may the proper shipping description "UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance,
solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III" be used?
A2. Yes, a material meeting the HMR definition of a hazardous waste or substance
may use the proper shipping description "UN3077, Environmentally hazardous
substance, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III." However, it should be noted that for a
hazardous substance,§ 172.203(b) requires the letters "RQ" must be entered before or
after the basic description, and for hazardous waste, § 171.101 ( c )(9) requires shippers
to place the word "waste" in front of the proper shipping name, if the material is a
waste as defined in§ 171.8, and the material description does not already include the
word "waste."
I hope this answers your inquiry. If you need additional assistance, please contact this office
at 202-366-8553.
Sincerely,
Robert Benedict
Chief, Standards Development Branch
Standards and Rulemak:ing Division

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02 September 2013
NORTHERN AfR CARGO
13oo{'h -e-
U.S. Department ofTransportation
PHMSA 0 ffice of Hazardous Materials Standards
Attn: PIIII-10
East Building
1200 New Jersey A venue, SE
Washington, D.C. 20590-0001
.t.k-z.o.v---da U-~ W' CL'&t--e
RE: Seeking clarification. UN3082, Environmentally hazardous substance,
liquid, n.o.s., 9 HI and UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid,
n.o.s .. 9, III. Apparent contradiction between § 172.102 special provision 146
and IC AO TI US04.
Hypothetically. a shipper has offered a shipment of RQ l1N1077, Waste,
Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, IIL
During the acceptance inspection, it is noted in ICAO TI A3~ 1 ~29(J)(a) it states:
For a hazardous substance that is a dangerous good according to lhese
Technical Instructions other than under the proper shipping names
"Environmental~v hazardous substance. liquid n.o.s .. or "Environmenta/{1,
hazardous .'iztbstance, solit/, n.o.s. ".
Also noted inA3-1-29(H)(a) states:
For a hazardous lraste that is a dangerous good according to these
Technical Instructions other than under the proper shipping names
"Em·ironrnentally hazardous sub.s·tance. liquitl n.o.s" or "Environmental(y
hazardous /!'ltbstance. solill, n.o.s. ".
During acceptance inspection in 49 CFR, it is noted in § 172.1 02 special provision 146:
1-16 This description may he used j(n· a material that poses a hazard to 1 he
environment hut does not meellhe defini!lonjor a hazardou::-: 1vaste or a
hazardous substance, as defined in§ 171.8 ofthis subchapter, or any hazard
clas,•> .. as defined in part 17 3 of this subchapter. {fit is designated as
environmentally hazardous by another Competent Authority. This provision
nu~v be usedjiJr both domestic and international shipments.
Hmvever. ICAO TI A3-l-29(1)(b) & (II)(b) both give examples of a shipment otiered as
a hazardous substance or a hazardous w·aste using this basic description.
Are these provisions stating that as long as the shipment is listed only as UN3077,
Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III that does not meet the
detlnition of a hazardous vvaste, or hazardous substance, this entrv mav be used?
. - . .., J
§//~.1b2- 8Pl~t:,
l3p0/~f
3900 Old International Airport Rd Anchorage AK 99502
907-243-3331 800-727-2141 FAX 907-249-5190 WWW.NORTHERNAIRCARGO.COM
-----------·- ------------------
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If it does also meet the de11nition of a hazardous waste or hazardous substance, must an
alternate proper shipping name be used for the example shipment, e.g., NA3077,
Hazardous waste, solid, n.o.s. (lead), 9, III?
If it is permissible to use the entry, UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid,
n.o.s.(lead), 9, Ill. for a hazardous substance and/or hazardous waste shipment is it
stating that the entries ·'RQ" and/or "Waste" be entered in association with this entry to
make it compliant?
W c arc seeking clarification as this is somewhat confusing.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me directly.
Mark Smith
Hazardous Materials lnstmctor
Northem Air Cargo
907-249-5186
3900 Old International Airport Rd Anchorage AK 99502
907-243-3331 800-727-2141 FAX 907-249-5190 WWWNORTHERNAlRCARGO.COM
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