{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0006","title":"Veolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-07-15","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0006 response to Veolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C. concerning 173.22, 173.56.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0006.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0006.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0006","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140006.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n:\nof Transportation\nU.S. Department\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nMaterials Safet\nPipeline and Hazardous\nAdministration\nJUL 1 5 2014\nMs. Jennifer Eberle\nManager, Transportation Compliance\nVeolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C.\n1 Eden Lane\nFlanders, NJ 07836\nRef. No: 14-0006\nDear Ms. Eberle:\nThis is in response to your January 9, 2014 letter to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nAdministration (PHMSA) requesting clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations\n(HMR; 49 CFR 171-180) applicable to the transportation of wetted fireworks being shipped\nfor disposal. The fireworks you describe in your letter are confiscated illegal consumer\nfireworks that have been placed in United Nations (UN) specification plastic or metal 55-85\ngallon drums, and are wetted with water or other wetting agents by enforcement officials.\nYou indicate that this process makes it impossible for your company to research and\ndetermine the original EX numbers assigned to the fireworks. However, you state that these\nfireworks are no longer capable of being ignited or functioning as an explosive because they\nhave been completely saturated. Your questions are paraphrased and answered below:\nQ1: May illegal consumer fireworks that have been desensitized through dilution be\nreclassed as a Division 4.1 flammable solid per § 173.124(a)(1)?\nAl: The answer to your question is no. Only desensitized explosives specifically listed\nby name in the § 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) (e.g., UN2852, Dipicryl\nsulfide, wetted with not less than 10 percent water, by mass), can be reclassified\nwithout further testing or Approval. Illegal fireworks that are confiscated, and then\nsoaked in water or other wetting agents in order to suppress explosive properties\ncannot be shipped unless classified in accordance with § 173.56. In addition, the\noriginal classification and EX number of the illegal fireworks is no longer valid due\nto the wetting of the fireworks. Therefore, the desensitized illegal fireworks should\nbe reclassified using the same classification process for a new explosive (i.e., EX\nnumber approval). In order to show that the material does not meet the definition for\nClass 1 (explosive) under Subpart C of Part 173, you may apply for a new EX\nnumber to verify the wetted fireworks no longer meet the definition of a Class 1\nhazardous material. This application must include either an examination report from\nan approved test lab as specified in § 173.56(b) or a competent authority approval as\nspecified in § 173.56(f) of the HMR.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ2:\nIf PHMSA believes the waste fireworks should remain a Division 1.3G or 1.4G\nmaterial, would Veolia be required to apply for and obtain an EX number for each\nindividual drum containing wetted consumer fireworks?\nA2: In accordance with § 173.22, it is the shipper's responsibility to ensure that the\nmaterial is properly classed and described in accordance with the HMR. The\nprocedures for classification and approval of Class 1 explosives are provided in\n§ 173.56. Whether one EX number could be applied to all drums of wetted consumer\nfireworks, or if each drum would require its own EX number, would be dependent on\nthe recommendation of the test laboratory or competent authority as described under\nAl.\nI trust this information is helpful. Please contact us if you require further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nAndrews\nOVEOLIA\n3172.101\nENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES\n$173.62\nJanuary 9, 2014\nExplosives\n14-0006\nOffice of Hazardous Materials Standards\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nAttn: PHH-10\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue S.E.\nWashington DC 20590-0001\nRE: Request for Interpretation Regarding the Shipment of Wetied Fireworks for\nDisposal\nTo Whom It May Concern:\nPlease accept this letter as a request for a formal interpretation from your office. Veolia\nwishes to receive clarification related to the shipment of wetted fireworks being\nshipped for disposal.\nVeolia is an environmental services company that manages shipments of various types\nof hazardous waste materials being shipped for disposal. Veolia's customers include\nnationwide local enforcement agencies that confiscate illegal consumer fireworks from\nthe general public. The confiscated fireworks are typically placed into UN specification\nplastic or metal 55-85 gallon drums and are thoroughly wetted with water or other\nwetting agent. Since the fireworks are already loaded into the waste drums and\nthoroughly wetted by the enforcement officials, it is impossible for Veolia to research\nthe EX numbers assigned to the devices. As a result of over 20 years of experience in\nmanaging hazardous materials shipments, Veolia believes as a result of the fireworks\nbeing completely saturated, they are no longer capable of being ignited or functioning\nas an explosive, therefore no longer meeting the definition classifying these devices as\nhazard class 1.3G or 1.4G fireworks. Veolia believes a more appropriate classification\nassignment for wetted fireworks would be as a Hazardous Waste Solid, n.o.s., 9,\nNA3077, PG III.\nVeolia is requesting written interpretation to clarify the following:\n1) Does PHMSA agree with Veolia's classification of thoroughly wetted fireworks as\na hazard class 4.1 flammable solid material?\n2) If PHMSA believes the waste fireworks should remain classified as Class 1.3G or\n1.4G materials requiring an EX number, would Veolia be required to apply for\nVelia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C.\n1 Eden Lane\njennifer.eberle@veolia.com\nlanders, NJ 07836\n(973) 691-7331\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n• VEOLIA\nENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES\nand obtain an EX number for each individual drum containing the saturated\nfireworks? Veolia believes this is a lengthy process and imposes an unnecessary\ncost burden to Veolia and its customers to perform the required explosives\ntesting by an authorized testing laboratory. In addition, due to extreme\nsaturation of the explosive chemicals contained in the devices, Veolia believes\nthese testing results will conclude these materials would no longer be classified\nas explosives.\n3) If PHMSA requires Veolia to obtain an EX number for these types of shipments,\ncan Veolia apply for a single letter that would issuing an EX number to be used\nfor all shipments of confiscated, wetted consumer fireworks being shipped for\ndisposal?\nYour written response to this request is greatly appreciated. If you require any further\ninformation regarding this request please feel free to contact me at\njennifer.eberle@veolia.com / 973-691-7331 or Tom Baker at tom.baker@veolia.com /\n973-691-7330.\nThank you,\nJennifer Eberle\nManager, Transportation Compliance\nVeolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C.\nVeolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C.\nFlanders, NJ 07836\n1 Eden Lane\n(973) 691-7331\njennifer.eberle@veolia.com\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\n, Drakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nSent:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo:\nThursday, January 09, 2014 3:04 PM\nSubject:\nDrakeford, Carolyn (PHMSA)\nAttachments:\nWetted Fireworks - Interp Request (VES).docx™\nFW: Request for written interpretation regarding the shipment of wetted fireworks for disposal\nHi Carolyn,\nThis caller requested we submit this e-mail as a formal letter of interpretation.\nThanks,\nVictoria\nFrom: Eberle, Jennifer [mailto:jennifer.eberle@veolia.com]\nSent: Thursday, January 09, 2014 2:05 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSubject: Request for written interpretation regarding the shipment of wetted fireworks for disposal\nJennifer Eberle\nVeolia ES Technical Solutions, L.L.C.\nManager, Transportation Compliance\n1 Eden Lane, Flanders, NJ 07836\n862-432-9778 cell\n973-691-7331 office (VoIP - 67331)\njennifer.eberle@veolia.com\nwww.VeoliaES.com\nService First. Safety Always\nonfidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If vou are not the intende\nhis email message from Velia Environmental Services North America Corp. is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may conta\nrecipient, please communicate with the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message and delete same from all\ncomputers.\n1","truncated":false,"body_characters":8244}