{"operation":"document","citation":"16-0107","title":"HMT Associates, L.L.C. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2016-12-09","effective_on":null,"summary":"16-0107 response to HMT Associates, L.L.C. concerning 173.225.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-16-0107.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-16-0107.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-16-0107","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/2016/160107.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nDEC 2 2 2016\nMr. Andy Altemos\nHMT Associates, L.L.C.\n6416 Grovedale Drive\nSuite 202B\nAlexandria, VA 22310\nReference No. 16-0107\nDear Mr. Altemos:\nThis letter is in response to your June 17, 2016 letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the relationship between\ncertain entries in the Organic Peroxide Intermediate Bulk Container (IBC) Table in§ 173.225(e)\nand the primary Organic Peroxides Table in§ 173.255(c). Your question relates to the material\n\"Peroxyacetic acid with not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide\" meeting the criteria for\nclassification as a type F organic peroxide.\nSpecifically, you seek confirmation of your understanding that any peroxyacetic acid formulation\nwith not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide may be transported in IBCs without the need for an\napproval and without regard to the concentration of peroxyacetic acid, provided the formulation\nhas been determined by appropriate testing to meet the criteria for classification as a type F\norganic peroxide.\nAlthough the current HMR does not limit the concentration of peroxyacetic acid meeting certain\nrequirements when packaged in IBCs, this was not the Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety\nAdministration's (PHMSA) original intention. A transcription error occurred when the Organic\nPeroxide IBC Table was adopted into the HMR under a Final Rule entitled, Harmonization with\nthe United Nations Recommendations, International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code, and\nInternational Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Instructions [68 FR 44991]. It was our\nintention for the listing \"Peroxyacetic acid with not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide\" found in\n§ 173 .225( e) to read \"Peroxyacetic acid, not more than 17%, with not more than 26% hydrogen\nperoxide.\" PHMSA will work to correct this drafting error in a future rulemaking.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\n(ioodall, Shante CTR (PHMSA)\nFrom:\nBetts, Charles (PHMSA)\nSent:\nFriday, June 17, 2016 1:16 PM\nTo:\nHazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Request for interpretation\nAttachments: Request for interpretation of organic peroxides IBC table.pdf\nShante/ Alice -\nPlease log and assign for response.\nThanks,\nCharles\nFrom: Altemos, Edward A. [mailto:ealternos@pipeline.com]\nSent: Friday, June 17, 2016 1:12 PM\nTo: Betts, Charles (PHMSA)\nSubject: Request for interpretation\nHello Charles,\nLong time no see - I hope all is well with you.\nPlease find attached a request for an interpretation relating to the Organic Peroxides IBC Table in §173.225{f) of the\nHMR. I look forward to receiving your thoughts on this matter in due course.\nThanks, and best regards,\nAndy\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nHMT ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.\nAI6 GROVEDALE DRIVE\nAEN ANDRIA. NA23310-2504\nSUITE 2028\nA. ALTEN\n703-5-49-0727\nPATRICIA LOUINS\nWRITERSMARKCT DESI VE MBER\nFACSIMILIE: 703-549-0728\n703-549-0727\nJune 17, 2016\nMr. Charles Betts\nDirector, Standards and\nRulemaking (PHH-10)\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration\nDepartment of Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nEast Building, 2^d Floor\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDear Mr. Betts:\nThis is to request an interpretation regarding to the relationship between certain\nHazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-180, \"the HMR\") and those in the\nentries in the \"Organic Peroxide IBC Table\" in §173.225(e) of the Department's\n\"main\" Organic Peroxides Table in §173.225(c) of the HMR in the case where there is\nsome variance between the entries as listed in each for a particular organic peroxide. My\nspecific interest in this connection - although there or other entries that could be cited -\nrelates to \"Peroxyacetic acid with not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide,\" meeting the\ncriteria for classification as a type F organic peroxide.\nThe entry \"Peroxyacetic acid with not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide\"\nappears in the Organic Peroxide IBC Table under the UN No. 3109 (\"Organic peroxide,\ntype F, liquid,\" and formulations meeting this description are allowed in certain types of\nIBCs with certain maximum capacities. The entry does not prescribe any limitation on\nthe concentration of peroxyacetic acid, although clearly only formulations meeting the\nclassification criteria for a type F organic peroxide could fall under the entry. On the\nother hand, in the \"main\" Organic Peroxides Table listing all formulations authorized for\ntransportation without approval, the entry for \"Peroxyacetic acid or peracetic acid [with\nnot more than 26% hydrogen peroxide]\" which is assigned UN3109 (i.e., type F, liquid)\nfurther indicates a limit on the acetic acid concentration of not more than 17 percent by\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nJMT ASSOCIATES, L.L.C.\nMr. Charles Betts\nJune 17, 2016\nPage2\nmass. Thus, the \"main\" Organic Peroxides Table applies a constraint on the type F entry\nfor peroxyacetic acid with not more than 26% hydrogen peroxide that is not specified\nunder the corresponding entry in the Organic Peroxide IBC Table. Importantly in this\nconnection, the introductory text to the Organic Peroxide IBC Table in § l 73.225(e)\nclearly states: \"The following Organic Peroxide IBC Table specifies, by technical name,\nthose organic peroxides that are authorized for transportation in certain IBC and not\nsubject to the approval provisions of§ 173.128 of this part\" (emphasis added).\nAgainst that background, it would be my understanding that any peroxyacetic acid\nformulation with not more than 26% hydrogen may be transported in IBCs without the\nneed for an approval and without regard to the concentration of peroxyacetic acid,\nprovided the formulation has been determined by appropriate testing to meet the criteria\nfor classification as a type F organic peroxide. Consequently, the 17% peroxyacetic acid\nlimitation as prescribed in the \"main\" Organic Peroxides Table is not applicable in this\ncase. However, your confirmation of this understanding would be most appreciated.\nYour consideration of this request is most appreciated. Please do not hesitate to\ncontact me if you have questions concerning this request or if you require additional\ninformation or clarification.\nSincerely,\nE. A. Altemos","truncated":false,"body_characters":6439}