{"operation":"document","citation":"15-0053","title":"Mr. Kevin Skerrett — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2015-07-20","effective_on":null,"summary":"15-0053 concerning 171.4, 173.150.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0053.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0053.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-15-0053","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2015/150053.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue SE\nWashington, DC\n20590\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nJUL 2 O 2015\nMr. Kevin Skerrett\nSenior Regulatory Specialist\n23 British American Blvd.\nLatham, NY 12110\nReference No. 15-0053\nDear Mr. Skerrett:\nThis is in response to your March 20, 2015 e-mail requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the shipment of limited\nquantities of ethyl alcohol specified in § 173.150(g). Portions of Special Permit 9275 (SP-\n9275) were incorporated into the HMR to except certain products containing limited\nquantities of ethyl alcohol. Your questions are paraphrased and answered below:\nQ1. Is it the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration's (PHMSA) intent\nthat § 173.150(g) allow the presence of \"other hazardous materials\" under the same\nterms as allowed in SP-9275?\nAl. The answer is yes, provided the solution absent the ethyl alcohol, is not subject to\nthe HMR.\nQ2.\nThe language in § 173.150(g)(1) and (2), reads \"classed as a flammable liquid or\nsolids.\" Would the exception still apply if a second flammable material (in addition\nto ethanol) was present in sufficient concentration to, by itself, result in\nclassification as a hazardous material?\nA2.\nThe answer is no, the material absent of ethyl alcohol cannot be subject to the\nHMR.\nQ3.\nSection 171.4(c)(1) excepts marine pollutants from the HMR provided no part of\ntransportation is by vessel. Does this exception still apply when applying the\nexception in § 173.150(g) of the HMR?\nA3.\nThe answer is yes, provided all of the requirements in §173.150(g) and\n§ 171.4(c)(1) are met, the retail products would not be subject to any other parts of\nthe HMR.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ4.\nSection 171.4(c)(2) excepts marine pollutants shipped in quantities under 5 liters for\nliquids or 5 kg for solids provided no part of transportation is by vessel. Does this\nexception still apply when applying the exception in § 173.150(g) of the HMR?\nA4.\nThe answer is yes, provided all of the requirements in §173.150(g) and\n§ 171.4(c)(2) are met, the retail products would not be subject to any other parts of\nthe HMR. It should be noted that the largest quantities permitted under\n§ 173.150(g) are 3.78 L (1gallon) for selected liquids and 3.63 kg (8 pounds) for\nselected solids.\nI hope this satisfies your request.\nSincerely,\nlenn Foste\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nAndreios\n§173.150(9) Limited guant\n$171.4 marine Pollars\nDodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\n15-0053\nSent:\nFriday, March 20, 2015 11:52 AM\nTo:\nHazmat Interps\nSubject:\nInterpretation - 171.4 and 173.150\nAttachments:\n171.4 and 173.150.pdf\nShante/Alice,\nPlease submit this for a formal letter of interpretation. Steve Andrews HM-233C rulemaking is referenced, for assigning\npurposes.\nThanks,\nFrom: Skerrett, Kevin [mailto:Kevin.Skerrett@ul.com]\nSent: Friday, March 20, 2015 11:31 AM\nTo: PHMSA HM InfoCenter\nSubject: Interpretation - 171.4 and 173.150\nPlease see the attached PDF, requesting a formal interpretation.\nKevin Skerrett\nUL - Information & Insights\nSenior Regulatory Specialist\n23 British American Blvd.\nLatham, NY 12110 United States\nOffice: 518-640-9200 Cell: 518-229-7302 Fax: 518-640-9299\nkevin.skerrett@ul.com www.wercsprofessionalservices.com\nThis e-mail may contain privileged or confidential information. If you are not the intended recipient: (1) you may not\nmail, and then delete this message and its attachments). Underwriters Laboratories Inc. and its affiliates disclaim all\ndisclose, use, distribute, copy or rely upon this message or attachments); and (2) please notify the sender by reply e-\nliability for any errors, omissions, corruption or virus in this message or any attachments.\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Standards\nAttn: PHH-10\nWercs™\nEast Building\nProfessional Services\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, D.C. 20590-0001\nA L COMPANY\nI would like to request a formal interpretation regarding the following issue:\nOn 3/1/2014 an exception was added for \"Limited quantities of retail products containing ethyl alcohol\" at 49 CFR\n173.150(g) via HM-233C. This exception codified the terms of Special Permit SP-9275. While this exception indicates that\nit applies to liquid or solid retail products containing high concentrations of ethyl alcohol, resulting in exception from the\nHMR, it does not appear to specify whether ethyl alcohol is required to be the only hazardous ingredient present.\nSpecial Provision 8c of SP-9275 does appear to address this - but 173.150(g) does not contain such wording:\n\"An ethyl alcohol solution shipped under this special permit may contain other hazardous materials provided the\nsolution, absent the ethyl alcohol, is not subject to 49 CFR.\"\nwith other exceptions. Questions:\nMy concern is under what conditions 173.150(g) can be combined with the presence of other hazardous materials, or\n1) Is it PHMSA's intent that 173.150(g) allow the presence of \"other hazardous materials\" under the same terms as\nSpecial Provision 8c of SP-9275?\n2) In 173.150(g) (1 and 2), the wording is \"...classed as a flammable liquid or flammable solid..\". Would the\nexception still apply if a second flammable material (in addition to ethanol) was present in sufficient\nconcentration to, by itself, result in classification as a hazardous material? An example might be 20% isopropyl\nalcohol, which in water might have a flashpoint of about 29°C?\n3) Regarding the wording in Special Provision 8c \"is not subject to 49 CFR\": considering a product with high ethanol\nconcentration that also contains ≥10% of a DOT Marine Pollutant, shipped non-bulk:\na. An exception for marine pollutants shipped non-bulk and not involving vessel occurs at 171.4(c)(1).\nWould these exceptions combine so that such a product is excepted from the HMR as long as no leg is\nby vessel?\nb. HM-215M recently added an exception at 171.4(c)(2) for Marine Pollutants shipped in quantities under\n5L for liquids or 5 kg for solids. Would these exceptions combine so that such a product, if shipped\nvessel?\nunder 5L for liquids or 5 kg for solids, is excepted from the HMR even if part of the shipment is by\nThank you for your consideration of this request. I look forward to your interpretation of these issues.\nKevin Skerrett\nUL - Information & Insights\nSenior Regulatory Specialist\ntham, NY 12110 United Sta\nBritish American B\nkevin.skerrett@ul.com www.wercsprofessionalservices.com\nOffice: 518-640-9200 Cell: 518-229-7302 Fax: 518-640-9299","truncated":false,"body_characters":6668}