{"operation":"document","citation":"21-0065","title":"Smarter Sorting — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2021-09-23","effective_on":null,"summary":"21-0065 response to Smarter Sorting concerning 173.120, 173.150.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0065.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0065.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-21-0065","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/docs/standards-rulemaking/hazmat/interpretations/75926/210065.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nSeptember 23, 2021\nMr. AJ Kenny\nDirector of Regulations\nSmarter Sorting\n4901 East Cesar Chavez Street\nAustin, TX 78702\nReference No. 21-0065\nDear Mr. Kenny:\nThis letter is in response to your June 15, 2021, letter requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to exceptions for aqueous\nsolutions of alcohol. Specifically, you ask whether the condition of 24 percent or less alcohol by\nvolume in the § 173.150(e)(1) exception applies to all alcohols in the aqueous solution or just to\nthe flammable alcohol(s) in the aqueous solution. Furthermore, you provide the following\nexample of an aqueous solution and ask whether the solution is eligible for the § 173.150(e)(1)\nexception:\n• Aqueous solution has a flashpoint of 54 °C and meets the definition of a flammable liquid\n(Class 3) (as specified in § 173.120(a));\n• 20 percent of the solution is isopropanol, which is an alcohol and has a flashpoint of\n12 °C (i.e., a flammable alcohol);\n• 20 percent of the solution is glycerol, which is an alcohol and has a flashpoint of 175 °C\n(i.e., a non-flammable alcohol); and\n• The remaining components in the solution do not meet the definition of a hazardous\nmaterial.\nThe 24 percent or less alcohol by volume condition in the § 173.150(e)(1) exception applies to\nflammable alcohols. Thus, the example of the aqueous solution you outlined above would be\neligible for the exception in § 173.150(e)(1). As detailed in § 173.150(e)(1), “an aqueous\nsolution containing 24 percent or less alcohol by volume and no other hazardous materials may\nbe reclassed as a combustible liquid.” The original intent of this exception was to provide relief\nfor aqueous solution of alcohols that do not meet the definition of a hazard class other than a\nflammable liquid (Class 3).\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nTherefore, while the solution itself contains 40 percent alcohol, the criteria for the\n§ 173.150(e)(1) exception should be based on the alcohol(s) that meets the definition of a\nflammable liquid (Class 3).\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nDirk Der Kinderen\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nGeller\n21-0065\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Subject: Date: Attachments: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA); Hazmat Interps\nFW: Request for letter of interpretation - Smarter Sorting\nWednesday, June 16, 2021 12:06:40 PM\nPHMSA request for letter of interpretation - Smarter Sorting 06152021.pdf\nGood afternoon Alice,\nPlease see the attached request for a letter of interpretation. The address and phone number for the\nrequestor is listed below.\nPlease contact our office with any questions.\nThank you,\nSarah (HMIC)\nFrom: AJ Kenny <aj@smartersorting.com>\nSent: Wednesday, June 16, 2021 11:55 AM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Re: Request for letter of interpretation - Smarter Sorting\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links or\nopen attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nHi Sarah,\nHere are the details you requested:\n· Full Name: AJ Kenny\n· Physical Mailing Address: 4901 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78702\n· Telephone Number: 206-909-2689\nAJ\nOn Wed, Jun 16, 2021 at 10:15 AM INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov> wrote:\nDear AJ,\nWe have received your request for a written letter of interpretation regarding the hazardous\nmaterials regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-180). The hazardous materials regulations are available at\nthe following URL:\nhttps://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/text-idx?\nSID=1d49a3b137cb1b6fc45251074e634b44&tpl=/ecfrbrowse/Title49/49tab_02.tpl\nHowever, before we can submit your request for processing, please respond to this email with:\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nFull Name\nPhysical Mailing Address\nTelephone Number\nSincerely,\nSarah, Hazardous Materials Specialist\nAn e-mail response from this office is considered informal guidance. Formal guidance may be\nrequested in accordance with 49 CFR 105.20. https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/standards-\nrulemaking/hazmat/hazardous-materials-information-center\nFrom: AJ Kenny <aj@smartersorting.com>\nSent: Tuesday, June 15, 2021 11:10 PM\nTo: Kelley, Shane (PHMSA) <shane.kelley@dot.gov>\nCc: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>; Charlie Vallely\n<charlie@smartersorting.com>\nSubject: Request for letter of interpretation - Smarter Sorting\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do not click on links\nor open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content is safe.\nHi Shane,\nOn June 10th and 11th I spoke with staff from the PHMSA HM Information Center regarding an\nexception for aqueous solutions of alcohol. Based on feedback from those calls, I am seeking a\nformal interpretation (see PDF attached). Please let me know if you have any questions about the\nrequest.\nBest regards,\nAJ\nConnect with us here: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, BuiltInAustin\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nConnect with us here: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, BuiltInAustin\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nWaste Repurposing International, Inc., dba\n4901 E. Cesar Chavez\n| Austin, TX 78702\nJune 15, 2021\nVIA E-MAIL (shane.kelley@dot.gov)\nMr. Shane Kelley\nDirector, Standards and Rulemaking Division\nU.S. DOT/PHMSA (PHH-10)\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE East Building, 2nd Floor\nWashington, DC 20590\ncc: infocntr@dot.gov\n-\nDear Mr. Kelley, Smarter Sorting would like to request a formal letter of interpretation regarding the\nregulatory exception in §173.150(e)(1). Specifically, is the intent of the exception to include all alcohols\nin the 24% threshold, or is the intent to only include flammable alcohols in the 24% threshold?\nIn a letter of interpretation from 2013 (13-0130), PHMSA stated that there is no regulatory definition of\nalcohol, however, “it is the understanding of this Office that this term is generally defined in chemical\ndictionaries and texts to mean any organic compound that has a hydroxyl group (-OH) bound to a carbon\natom, which in turn is bound to other hydrogen and/or carbon atoms.”\nAlthough a strict reading of the chemical definition and this regulatory exception suggests all alcohols\nmust be included in the 24% threshold, it seems plausible that the intent is to consider only flammable\nalcohols since they fall within the definition of a hazardous material.\nConsider the following example product that makes the point.\n• Product is a solution with a flashpoint of 54 oC and thus is flammable (i.e., Class 3)\no 20% of the product is isopropanol. Isopropanol meets the definition of alcohol per the\nabove mentioned letter of interpretation (2013 (13-0130)) and has a flashpoint of ~12 oC\n(below the 60 oC cutoff for “flammability”)\no 20% of the product is glycerol. Glycerol is also an alcohol per the definition but has a\nflashpoint of ~175o C and thus this ingredient would NOT be considered flammable\n• None of the other ingredients in the solution would be considered a hazardous material (i.e.,\nnone of the ingredients are Marine Pollutants or otherwise regulated for transport)\nFor reasons of the §173.150(e)(1) exception, does this product contain 20% alcohols or 40% alcohols?\nShould glycerol and other “non-flammable alcohols” be counted toward the 24% cutoff?\nPerhaps a better question: does this example product meet the requirements for §173.150(e)(1)?\n\n<<<PAGE 7>>>\n\nWaste Repurposing International, Inc., dba\n4901 E. Cesar Chavez\n| Austin, TX 78702\n49 CFR §173.150(e)(1)\n(e) Aqueous solutions of alcohol. An aqueous solution containing 24 percent or less alcohol by volume\nand no other hazardous material—\n(1) May be reclassed as a combustible liquid.\n-\nRespectfully submitted,\nAJ Kenny\nDirector of Regulations\nSmarter Sorting","truncated":false,"body_characters":7951}