{"operation":"document","citation":"25-0074","title":"Campbell’s Express — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2025-09-12","effective_on":null,"summary":"25-0074 response to Campbell’s Express concerning 172.201, 172.202.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0074.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0074.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-25-0074","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2025-09/250074.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nSeptember 12, 2025\nSam Klein\nChief Information Officer\nCampbell’s Express\nP.O. Box 119\nPitman, NJ 08071\nReference No. 25-0074\nDear Mr. Klein:\nThis letter is in response to your May 28, 2025 email requesting clarification of the Hazardous\nMaterials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the proper display of\nhazardous material information on a shipping paper. Specifically, you are seeking confirmation\nof your understanding of how information should be provided on a bill of lading (i.e., shipping\npaper) containing hazardous material information for “UN3091, Lithium metal batteries\ncontained in equipment including lithium alloy batteries, 9” and “UN3481, Lithium ion batteries\ncontained in equipment including lithium ion polymer batteries, 9.” You provide a copy of a\nhazardous materials shipping paper that lists both materials “UN3091” and “UN3481” and ask\nseveral questions regarding this document.\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. A customer is packing “UN3481” and “UN3091” together in the same packaging. The\nshipping paper, as shown in your incoming letter, represents both UN identification\nnumbers (UN ID) on the same line. Should the UN ID (as well as the proper shipping\nname (PSN)) of each hazardous material be displayed on separate lines on the shipping\npaper?\nA1. Yes. The hazardous material shipping description on a shipping paper must show\nassociated information, such as the UN ID and PSN, for each hazardous material on\nseparate lines (e.g., separate table entries). Although this is not explicitly stated in Part\n172, Subpart C, each hazardous material has its own entry on a shipping paper to avoid\nconfusion about the information presented for emergency response and enforcement\npersonnel.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ2. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, lists the total combined weight of\nboth hazardous materials in the single description. Should the weight for each UN ID\n(i.e., each hazardous material) be listed separately on the shipping paper?\nA2. Yes. Section 172.202, at paragraphs (a)(5) and (6), instructs a person to include the total\nquantity of each hazardous material listed on the shipping paper.\nQ3. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, includes a column captioned\n“HM” to identify a hazardous material but no “X” is included next to the hazardous\nmaterials description. Should there be an “X” in the “HM” column for the hazardous\nmaterial?\nA3. No. Section 172.201(a) provides instruction on how to represent a hazardous material on\na shipping paper when both hazardous materials and non-hazardous materials are\ndescribed on the same shipping paper. The options are to enter the hazardous material\nfirst, enter the hazardous material information in a contrasting color (or highlighted), or\nidentify the hazardous material entry with an “X” placed in a column captioned “HM.” In\nthe scenario presented in your incoming email, the hazardous material is listed first on the\nshipping paper, so there is no need to place an “X” in a column captioned “HM.”\nQ4. The shipping paper, as shown in your incoming email, does not specify the package type\nfor the hazardous materials either before or after the hazardous materials description.\nInstead, the shipping paper contains a column captioned “CartonCnt” indicating the\nnumber of packages. Is this sufficient for indicating the number and type of packages as\nrequired in§ 172.202(a)(7)?\nA4. No. The column captioned “CartonCnt” is not sufficient for indicating the type of\npackages for each hazardous material shipping description. In accordance with\n§ 172.202(a)(7), the number and type of packages must be indicated in the shipping\ndescription for the hazardous material. The type of packages must be indicated by\ndescription of the package (for example, “12 drums”). Further, the type of packaging may\nbe entered in any appropriate manner before or after the basic description and\nabbreviations may be used to express types of packagings.\nI hope this information is helpful. Please contact us if we can be of further assistance.\nSincerely,\nDirk DerKinderen\nChief, Standards Development Branch\nStandards and Rulemaking Division\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\nBaker, Y.\n25-0074\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Baker, Yul (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Letter of Interpretation\nDate: Thursday, May 29, 2025 14:39:53\nAttachments: Sample Hazmat BOL.pdf\nHi Yul,\nPlease see the below interpretation request and attachment. Let us know if you need anything.\nSincerely,\nJanaye\nFrom: Sam Klein <sklein@campbellsexpress.com>\nSent: Wednesday, May 28, 2025 4:43 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Letter of Interpretation\nYou don't often get email from sklein@campbellsexpress.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.\nGood Afternoon,\nI am requesting a letter of interpretation regarding the attached bill of lading documentation.\n1. 2. 3. 4. We have a customer who is packing UN3481 Lithion Ion Batteries and UN3091 Lithium Metal\nBatteries together. They are representing both Hazard ID’s on the same line. However, based\nupon my research and training, I believe each Hazard ID has to be on a separate line. Can you\nconfirm whether they should be listed separately?\nOn the BOL, the total weight is listed for the single, combined line of hazmat, as opposed to\nindividual weights for each of the appropriate Hazard ID’s. Can you confirm if the weight\nshould be separated for each Hazard ID?\nThe BOL has a Hazardous Materials column, but there is no checkmark or “x” alongside the\nHazardous line item. Shouldn’t there be?\nLastly, the packaging type for this Hazardous line item isn’t listed before or after the\nHazardous line item. What is represented is pre-printed on the BOL as “CartonCnt” above the\ncolumn in which a quantity is input. Does this suffice for the packaging type or should it be\nlisted in closer proximity to the Hazardous description?\nThank you for your assistance. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nSincerely,\nSam Klein\nCIO\nCampbell’s Express\n856-589-8300 x210\nsklein@campbellsexpress.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":6434}