{"operation":"document","citation":"25-0065","title":"Karmanterra, LLC — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2026-06-11","effective_on":null,"summary":"25-0065 response to Karmanterra, LLC concerning 173.124, 173.22.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0065.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0065.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0065","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2026-06/25-0065.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nJune 11, 2026\nMr. Mark Samuels\nPresident\nKarmanterra LLC\n2011 Palomar Airport Rd. Ste. 101\nCarlsbad, CA 92011\nReference No. 25-0065\nDear Mr. Samuels:\nThis letter is in response to your May 12, 2025, letter requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the\nclassification of your charcoal-based product, currently classed as a Division 4.2\n(Spontaneously Combustible) material. According to your letter, you have conducted\nUnited Nation (UN) Test N.4 (Test method for self-heating substances) through an\nindependent International Organization for Standardization (ISO) / International\nElectrochemical Commission (IEC) 17025–accredited laboratory to evaluate the\nself‑heating properties of the material. You state that the test results demonstrate your\nproduct does not exhibit self-heating behavior as defined in § 173.124(b)(2). You ask\nwhether your testing supports a determination that your pine-derived biocarbon does not\nmeet the definition of a Division 4.2 hazardous material.\nAs specified in § 173.22 of the HMR, it is the shipper's responsibility to properly class and\ndescribe a hazardous material. Such determinations are not required to be verified by this\nOffice. Furthermore, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration does not\ncertify a shipper’s determination of whether a material is a hazardous material. However,\nbased on the information and test results you included in your letter, it is the opinion of\nthis Office that your pine-derived biocarbon would not be considered a Division 4.2\nself‑heating material when transported within the United States. If your product does not\nmeet any other hazard class as defined in 49 CFR Part 173, and is not a hazardous\nsubstance,\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nhazardous waste, or marine pollutant, it is not subject to the HMR. Please note that\ninternational regulations may classify your material differently.\n1\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nAlexander Wolcott\nActing Chief, Regulatory Review and Reinvention Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n1 https://www.federalregister.gov/d/2026-02575/p-65\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nPollack, A.\n25-0065\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Dodd, Alice (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps; Baker, Yul (PHMSA)\nSubject: FW: PHMSA Review Request – Non-Hazardous Determination (UN N.4) for Karmanterra\nDate: Monday, May 12, 2025 17:06:35\nAttachments: Karmanterra-PHMSA-Classification-Review-Dossier-051225.pdf\nHi Alice,\nPlease see the below interpretation request with the attached supporting documentation.\nLet us know if you need anything else,\n-Breanna\nFrom: Mark Samuels <mark@karmanterra.com>\nSent: Monday, May 12, 2025 2:10 PM\nTo: Special Permits (PHMSA) <specialpermits@dot.gov>\nCc: John Ryan <john@karmanterra.com>; PHMSA HM InfoCenter <PHMSAHMInfoCenter@dot.gov>\nSubject: PHMSA Review Request – Non-Hazardous Determination (UN N.4) for Karmanterra\nYou don't often get email from mark@karmanterra.com. Learn why this is important\nCAUTION: This email originated from outside of the Department of Transportation (DOT). Do\nnot click on links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and know the content\nis safe.\nDear PHMSA Office of Hazardous Materials Safety,\nI am writing to formally request a classification review of our charcoal-based product,\ncurrently listed under UN1361, Division 4.2. We are submitting this request based on the\nresults of a UN Test N.4 (Self-Heating Substances) conducted by an ISO/IEC 17025–\naccredited laboratory. The test indicates that our material does not exhibit self-heating\nproperties and therefore does not meet the criteria for classification as a Division 4.2\nhazardous material under 49 CFR § 173.124(b)(2).\nPlease find attached a signed request letter outlining the submission, along with the following\ndocumentation:\nUN N.4 test report from Stonehouse Process Safety Inc.\nMaterial Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) and Technical Data Sheet (TDS)\nProduct specifications, details, and certificate of analysis\nWe kindly ask PHMSA to review the data and provide a written determination or letter of\ninterpretation confirming whether the material can be considered non-hazardous under the\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nHMR. This determination is essential for both domestic and international shipping\ncompliance.\nShould you require any additional information or clarification, we would be happy to provide\nit promptly. Thank you for your time and consideration.\nBest regards,\nMark\nimage Mark Samuels\nPresident\n+1 (949) 439-0960\nmark@karmanterra.com\nwww.karmanterra.com\ntwitter linkedin\nKarmanterra LLC\n2011 Palomar Airport Rd. Ste. 101\nCarlsbad, CA 92011","truncated":false,"body_characters":4837}