{"operation":"document","citation":"13-0197","title":"Bemis Company, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2013-12-03","effective_on":null,"summary":"13-0197 response to Bemis Company, Inc. concerning 178.521.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0197.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0197.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-13-0197","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2013/130197.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDEC 0 3 2013\nMr. Andrew Petersen\nBemis Company, Inc.\n3514 S. 25th Street\nOmaha, NE 68105\nRefNo.: 13-0197\nDear Mr. Petersen:\nThis is a response to your October 17, 2013 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) with regard to the construction of\nDOT specification 5M2 paper bags. In your email you describe the bag as three-plied, with\na paper ply innermost layer coated with a water-resistant polymer facing inward (towards\nthe product), a middle paper ply layer, and an outermost layer of paper ply having a water-\nresistant polymer coating facing inward. You seek clarification that the construction of your\nspecification 5M2 paper bag meets the standards of§ 178.521.\nIn accordance with§ 178.521(b)(2), a 5M2 bag of three plies must be made waterproof by\nthe use of a water-resistant ply as the outermost ply. When there is danger of the lading\nreacting with moisture, or when it is packed damp, a waterproof ply or barrier, such as\ndouble-tarred kraft paper, plastics-coated kraft paper, plastics film bonded to the inner\nsurface of the bag, or one or more inner plastics liners, must also be placed next to the\nsubstance. The requirements for DOT specification 5M2 paper bags in§ 178.521 do not\nspecify the orientation (i.e. inward or outward facing) of the water-resistant coating on the\noutermost. Provided your paper bag meets the requirements of this section and all seams\nand closures are waterproof, the method of construction you described would be acceptable.\nI hope this information is helpful. If you have any more questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\nRobert Benedict\nChief, Standards Development\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n~CJI7ct(6\n~ (7~ .s 2.-/\nfcxp e r 13 a_8 s\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nTo:\nSubject:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nThursday, October 17, 2013 3:19PM\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFW: Request for clarification\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nFrom: Petersen, Andrew G [mailto:AGPetersen@bemis.com]\nSent: Thursday, October 17, 2013 3:09 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSubject: Request for clarification\nI would like to request a formal notification that the following construction meets the requirements of title 49 CFR\n178.521 Standards for Paper Bags:\nPlies from inside to outside\nWall1: water resistant polymer coated paper ply with polymer coating facing inward (towards product)\nWall 2: Paper ply\nWall 3: water resistant polymer coated paper ply with polymer coating facing inward\nThe specific clarification is whether the outer ply of a three wall paper bag may have the water resistant portion of the\nwater resistant sheet facing inward (toward the product).\nOn 10/17/2013 I spoke with Ben Moore from Packaging Engineering and his guidance was that since the regulation does\nnot specify orientation the manufacturer can face the ply inward or outward.\nThanks,\nProduct Development Manager\n(402) 938-2602\n(402) 677-3015 cell\n(402) 938-2545 fax\nAGPetersen@bemis.com\nBemis Company Inc.\nPaper Packaging Division\n1","truncated":false,"body_characters":3279}