{"operation":"document","citation":"18-0087","title":"Scarpa Consultants — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2019-02-04","effective_on":null,"summary":"18-0087 response to Scarpa Consultants concerning 173.124, 173.22.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0087.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0087.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-18-0087","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/70336/180087.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nPipeline and Hazardous\nFEB 0 4 2019\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nNicholas Scarpa, Ph.D.\nScarpa Consultants\n8 Troon Drive\nFredon, NJ 07860\nReference No. 18-0087\nDear Mr. Scarpa:\ni lete is in repairs to rulen, 7, EUl orator and and company mai and\nParaform, also described in the documents as \"Company B\") of Mainz, Germany. Your client\nrequests clarification of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180)\napplicable to the classification of Granuform® 91 and Granuform® 96, materials that contain 91\nand 96 percent \"UN2213, Paraformaldehyde, Division 4.1 (flammable solid), Packing Group\n(PG) III,\" respectively. Specifically, you ask if materials that contain less than 18 parts per\nmillion (ppm) of sodium and less than 100 ppm of alkali metal ions and/or other metal ions as\nimpurities do not meet the definition of a Division 4.1 (flammable solid) material as defined in\n§ 173.124(a) of the HMR.\nYou enclosed several documents and test reports listed in the attachment to this letter but ask that\nwe limit our response to two INEOS Paraform products: Paraformaldehyde B-1 (91%) and B-2\n(96%). We have paraphrased the information on these materials that you and your client\nprovided in the table below.\nRef. Substance Name!| Preliminary\nWetting\nAlkali Metal lon &\nSample Test\nNo.\n(Trade Name:\nGranuform®)\nscreening\nsolution\nResult\ntest\nOther Content\nPerformance\ndelay\ntime\n(min)\n6.d\nParaformaldehyde\nNegative\nB-1 (91%)\nN/A\nSodium content <\nSample when heated\nNOT to\n(<2 ppm Nat)\n(flame died)\n2 ppm, < 5 ppm\nwith a gas burner\nother alkali metal\nmelted forming a\nclassified\nbe\nPerformed by Laus\nions,\nliquid, the liquid\n2 other metal ions\nfound in\nstarted to boil and\nas\nboiling spot burned\nDivision\n4.1\nconcentrations of\nwith a flame. The\n7 and 9 ppm,\nflame died on its own\n2 UN Test N.1, section 33.2.1.4.3.1: ignition or propagation of combustion within 2 minutes.\n1 Paraformaldehyde Assay expressed in available % formaldehyde in brackets.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nrespectively, in a\nwhen no boiling test\nscreening test on\n36 different metal\nitem was present.\n< 300 ppm Formic\nelements by ICP,\nacid\n6.e\nParaformaldehyde\nNegative\nN/A\nSodium content 5\nSample was ignited\nNOT to\nB-2 (96%)\n(combustion\nppm, <5 ppm\nwith a flame of a\n15 ppm Nat)\ntook > 29\nother alkali metal\nTeclu burner. First\nclassified\nbe\nminutes)\nions,\nmelting was\n(Granuform® 96)\n2 other metal ions\nobserved, then the\nDivision\nas\nfound in\ntest item started to\n4.1\nconcentrations of\nburn with 2 seats of\n10 and 13 ppm,\nfire after 12 seconds.\nrespectively, in a\nMelting and no\nscreening test on\nformation of smoke\n36 different metal\nwere observed.\nelements by ICP,\nCombustion along\n< 300 ppm Formic\n200mm took 29\nacid\nminutes and 37\nseconds.\nIn accordance with § 173.22, it is the shipper's responsibility to properly classify a hazardous\nmaterial. This Office does not generally perform that function. However, based on the\ninformation you provided, it is the opinion of this Office that the tested materials in Reference\nNos. 6.d and 6.e do not exhibit criteria exceeding the limit specified in § 173.124(a)(3)(ii) and,\ntherefore, do not meet the definition of a Division 4.1 readily combustible solid.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\ntern Tote\nT. Glenn Foster\nChief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\nAttachment\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nClarification Letter Reference No. 18-0087\nAttachments\nYou state you provided all data related to INEOS Paraform products, including the LAUS and\nICP reports. The following is the list of materials you provided with your correspondence.\n• Analyses and flammability final test reports dated June 9, 2010, and June 17, 2011, Study\nNumbers 10042301G934UN and 11051101G934, respectively, performed by the LAUS\nGmbH test facility in conformance with the United Nations (UN) Manual of Tests and\nCriteria UN Test N.1, Section 33.2.1.4.3.1.\n• A document titled \"Expert opinion on transport classification of paraformaldehyde,\"\nprepared by GBK Gefahrgut Büro BmbH and signed on December 8, 2010.\n• A diagnostic analysis of Paraformaldehyd (Granuform® 91 Charge G120228) dated\nMarch 2, 2012.\n• A diagnostic analysis of Bestimmungvon NA im Paraformaldehyd (Granuform®) dated\nMarch 26, 2012.\n• A report prepared for the UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous\nGoods and on the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of\nChemicals titled \"Classification under UN 2213 (Paraformaldehyde),\" dated July 31,\n2013, that concluded fine and/or granulated \"Paraformaldehyde should not be classified\nas a readily combustible solid of Division 4.1, if the test material contains less than\n100 pps of alkali metal ion.\" This report states six of the nine products tested do not meet\nthe definition of a flammable solid.\n• INEOS Paraform Product Information Granuform® Paraformaldehyde, For\nGranuform_12E, May 2012.\n3\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nEdmonson\nJanuary, Ikeya CTR (PHMSA)\nTestinsos7\nFrom:\nINFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nSent:\nFriday, June 08, 2018 3:28 PM\nTo:\nHazmat Interps\nSubject:\nFW: INEOS Paraformaldehyde Classification.\nAttachments:\nATT_1 Paraformaldehyde_UN Proposal_2013.pdf; ATT_ 2 Paraformaldehyde_Flammability\nTest. 2010. pdf; ATT_3 Paraformaldehyde_Flammability Test 2011.pdf; ATT_4\nParaformaldehyde_Granuform 91_Sodium content.pdf; ATT_5\nParaformaldehyde_Granuform M_Sodium content.pdf; ATT_6 Paraformaldehyde_GBK\nexpert statement transport classification paraformaldehyde 2010,pdf\nHello Ikeya and Alice,\nI searched the Database, and there wasn't anything that spoke of this situation directly. I have also spoken with Mir.\nScarpa and he said that he would like a Letter of Interpretation. I also advised him that he may also need to apply for an\napproval to be able to move this material within the United States and an unregulated material.\nRegards,\n-Breanna\nFrom: Nick Scarpa [mailton.scarpa@gok-fredon.usl\nSent: Thursday, June 07, 2018 12:18 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) < INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: INEOS Paraformaldehyde Classification.\nDear Info Center Staff,\nI am writing on behalf of my client;\nINEOS PARAFORM GmbH\nHauptstrasse 30\n55120 Mainz\nGermany\nThe company produces two products that are paraformaldehyde solid.\nParaformaldehyde solid is currently classified under UN 2213, class 4, packing group III.\nINEOS has conducted relevant flammability studies on their product an have concluded that they are not\nflammable solids as defined.\nThis conclusion has been confirmed in a proposal by the UN Committee of Experts on the Transport of\nDangerous Goods. (see ATT_1), as well as GBK Gefahrgut Buro (see ATT_6).\nAlso attached are the analyses and flammability testing reports that were done. (see ATT_2 through ATT_5)\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nTherefore, we are requesting that the US DOT PHMSA also provide a formal letter of interpretation that the\nINEOS paraformaldehyde products are not flammable solid materials under the US Hazardous Materials\nTransportation regulations.\nPlease feel free to contact me with any questions or require further information.\nSincerely,\nNicholas Scarpa\nScarpa Consultants\nNicholas Scarpa Ph.D.\n8 Troon Drive\nFredon, NJ, 07860\nOffice Phone: 973 579 9750\nMobile Phone: 201 572 9157\nFax: 973 721 6308\ne-mail n.scarpa@gbk-fredon.us","truncated":false,"body_characters":7389}