{"operation":"document","citation":"14-0043","title":"Currie Associates, Inc. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2014-04-22","effective_on":null,"summary":"14-0043 response to Currie Associates, Inc. concerning 172.101.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0043.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0043.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-14-0043","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2014/140043.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\nAPR 2 2 2014\nMr. John V. Currie\nCEO and ChiefTechnical Officer\nCurrie Associates, Inc.\n10 Hunter Brook Lane\nQueensbury, NY 12804\nRef. No.: 14-0043\nDear Mr. Currie:\nThis is in response to your March 6, 2014letter, requesting guidance on how to properly\ndescribe a crude sulfate turpentine solution under the Hazardous Materials Regulations\n(HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180). Specifically, you request confirmation that \"UN1299,\nTurpentine solution, Class 3, PG III, RQ (contains Methyl mercaptan)\" more appropriately\ndescribes the material than \"UN1993, Flammable liquid, n.o.s. (contains Turpentine,\nDimethyl sulfide), Class 3, PG III, RQ (Methyl mercaptan).\nIn your letter you provide the material characteristics. The crude sulfate turpentine solution\nmeets the definition of a Class 3 flammable liquid assigned to packing group III. The solution\nis comprised of: Turpentine and terpene hydrocarbon isomers (97-99%); Methyl mercaptan\n(0.2 to 2.5%); Dimethyl sulfide (1 to 2.5%); and Dimethyl disulfide (0 to 1.3%). The crude\nsulfate turpentine is a solution that is not identified by name in the § 172.101 Hazardous\nMaterials Table (HMT), but is comprised of a single predominant hazardous material\n(Turpentine) identified in the HMT by technical name and one or more hazardous and/or non-\nhazardous materials. In addition, you describe that the HMT entry for Turpentine does not\nmeet the exceptions provided § 172.101 ( c )(1 O)(i)(A) through (F), thus requiring the selection\nof \"Turpentine solution\" as the proper shipping name.\nYour understanding is correct. The most appropriate basic description is \"UN1299,\nTurpentine solution, Class 3, PG III, RQ (contains Methyl mercaptan).\" Section\n172.1 01 (c)( 1 0) sets forth the criteria for selecting a proper shipping name of a mixture or\nsolution not identified specifically by name in the HMT. Section 172.101(c)(10)(i) requires\nthat a mixture or solution comprised of a single predominant hazardous material identified by\ntechnical name in the HMT and one or more hazardous and/or non-hazardous material must\nbe described with the proper shipping name of the predominant hazardous material and the\nqualifying word \"mixture\" or \"solution,\" unless the mixture or solution meets one or more of\nthe conditions in subparagraphs (A) through (F).\nThe requirements for generic or \"N.O.S.\" proper shipping name selection in§ 172.101(c)(IO)(iii)\nare intended for mixtures or solutions not comprised of a single predominant hazardous material\nidentified in the HMT.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nI trust this information is helpful. If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to\ncontact this office.\nSincerely,\n~D~A-?~\nDuane A. Pfund V\nInternational Standards Coordinator\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nMarch 6, 2014\nU.S. DOT\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: PHH-10\nEast Building\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE.\nWashington, DC 20590-0001\nVia email: pbJJJ.§A,hrtl:inf9_~~Dl~J@_gpt.ggy\nWe are requesting PHMSA's interpretation on the correctness of the basic shipping description a\nclient has assigned to \"crude sulfate turpentine\" that is produced and shipped as a by-product\nfrom chemical pulping mills. The crude sulfate turpentine is generally shipped in bulk, typically\nin a railroad tank car.\nThe crude sulfate turpentine has a flash point range between 73-95° F and a boiling point range\nof 246°- 344°F. It is a class 3 flammable liquid in packing group III. The composition of the\ncrude sulfate turpentine is:\nIngredient Percentage UN# Proper Shipping Hazard Packing\nName Class Grol!l?_\nTurpentine and Terpene 97-99% UN1299 Turpentine 3 III\nHydrocarbon Isomers\nMethyl Mercaptan 0.2 to 2.5% UN1064 Methyl Mercaptan 2.3 (2.1)\nDimethyl Sulfide 1 to 2.5% UN1164 Dimethyl Sulfide 3 II\nDimethyl Disulfide o to 1.3% UN2381 Dimethyl Disulfide 3 II\nWe believe the basic shipping description should be:\nUN1299, Turpentine Solution, 3, III, RQ (contains Methyl Mercaptan)\nWe base this determination on the following factors:\n1. The 2011 Final Rule amending 49 CFR 172.101(c)(10) and the supporting rationale as\npublished in the preamble to that Rule. For years many companies in the pulp and paper\nindustry have described crude sulfate turpentine as UN1993, Flammable liquid, n.o.s.\n(Turpentine, Dimethyl sulfide), 3, III. This practice was based on the wording of 49 CFR\n172.101(c)(10)(iii), which prior to being amended in 2011, required a mixture or solution not\nidentified in the [Hazardous Materials] Table specifically by name, comprised of two or\nmore hazardous materials in the same hazard class, to be described using an appropriate\nshipping description (e.g., \"Flammable liquid, n.o.s.) .... \" In 2011, DOT published a Final\nRule that changed the relevant language in 49 CFR 172.101(c)(10) (combining what was\npreviously 172.101(c)(10)(i) and (iii)) to read:\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n2. 3. 4. s. 6. 7. 8. \"(i) A mixture or solution not identified specifically by name, comprised of a single\npredominant hazardous material identified in the Table and one or more hazardous\nand/or non-hazardous materials, must be described using the proper shipping name of the\nhazardous material and the qualifying word \"mixture\" or \"solution\" as appropriate ... \"\nIn the preamble for the amendment, DOT explained:\n\"With respect to instances when the provision would be used, we would expect it to be\napplied in cases of mixtures or solutions of a hazardous material that contain small\namounts of preservatives or are contaminated with trace amounts of hazardous material\nin such a way that the 'trace amounts' do not affect the packaging, the hazard class, the\npacking group, etc. of the hazardous material. As for defining 'trace amounts' we do not\nspecifically define this term because determination of when an amount of material affects\nthe hazard classification is highly variable depending on the physical and chemical\nproperties of the materials involved and the quantities of material involved . ... \"\nThe crude sulfate turpentine is a solution that is not identified specifically by name and that\nis comprised of a single predominant hazardous material (Turpentine) identified in the\nhazardous materials table by technical name and one or more other hazardous materials,\npresent in \"trace amounts.\"\nThe packaging specified for Turpentine in column 8 of the hazardous materials table is\nappropriate for the physical state.(liquid) of crude sulfate turpentine.\nThe proper shipping name Turpentine in the hazardous materials table does not indicate\nthat this proper shipping name applies only to pure or technically pure material.\nThe hazard class (3) and packing group (III) of the crude sulfate turpentine, as offered for\ntransportation, is identical to that listed in the hazardous materials table for Turpentine.\nThe concentrations of reduced sulfur compounds in the crude sulfate turpentine do not\nchange the measures to be taken in an emergency. Emergency procedures for a release of\ncrude sulfate turpentine would be identical to the procedures for turpentine. However, the\nproper shipping name \"turpentine\" communicates specific information about the\npredominant ingredient and the associated hazards. The proper shipping name \"flammable\nliquids, n.o.s.\" is a more generic proper shipping name and will not provide the emergency\nresponder with as much information as \"turpentine.\"\nAlthough pure Methyl Mercaptan is a \"poisonous by inhalation\" material (hazard zone C)\nthis ingredient is dissolved in the solution and does not exist as a gas when offered for\ntransportation. Therefore, it no longer meets the definition of poisonous by\ninhalation. During transport, small amounts of Methyl Mercaptan may come out of solution\nand collect in the head space of the bulk packaging (tank car). Many paper companies\naddress this issue in the material safety data sheets they distribute to customers and which\nare available as written emergency response information.\nThere is no appropriate generic proper shipping name in the hazardous materials table that\nmore accurately describes the nature and transportation risks of the crude sulfate\nturpentine.\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nWe request a written interpretation from your office that 1) based on the information presented\nin this request, \"UN1299, Turpentine Solution, 3, III, RQ (contains Methyl Mercaptan)\" is a\nmore appropriate proper shipping description than \"UN1993, Flammable Liquid n.o.s. (contains\nTurpentine, Dimethyl Sulfide), 3, III RQ (Methyl Mercaptan)\" and, 2) that this proper shipping\ndescription complies with current DOT regulations.\nIf you need additional information about the crude sulfate turpentine, or have any other\nquestions about this request, please contact Currie Associates as provided below.\nSincerely,\nJohn V. Currie\nCEO and Chief Technical Officer\nj~Gk@~!!ITl~!!§.§Qcig!_~.§,.GQffi","truncated":false,"body_characters":8961}