{"operation":"document","citation":"26-0004","title":"Carbotainer S.L. — Hazardous Materials Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2026-03-17","effective_on":null,"summary":"26-0004 response to Carbotainer S.L. concerning 171.12, 171.7, 173.301b, 180.207.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-26-0004.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-26-0004.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-26-0004","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2026-03/260004.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\nMarch 17, 2026\nGuillermo Garcia Andreu\nIndustrial, Technical and Production Director\nCarbotainer S.L.\nC/Buenos Aires, Nº4 Pol. Ind. Centrovía\n50196 LA MUELA (Zaragoza) Spain\nReference No. 26-0004\nDear Mr. Garcia Andreu:\nThis letter is in response to your December 16, 2025 email requesting clarification of the\nHazardous Materials Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) applicable to the use of United\nNations (UN) pressure receptacles (i.e., refillable composite cylinders) meeting International\nOrganization for Standardization (ISO) 11119-2 specification standards, approved under the\nTransport Canada Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations and marked with\n“CAN” to indicate Canada as the country of approval.\nWe have paraphrased and answered your questions as follows:\nQ1. May these refillable composite cylinders, approved and marked as described above, be\nused to transport hazardous materials within the United States by highway, rail, air, and\nvessel?\nA1. Yes. Section 171.12(a)(4) provides that when the HMR require that a Department of\nTransportation (DOT) specification or a UN pressure receptacle must be used for a\nhazardous material, a packaging authorized by the Transport Canada TDG Regulations\nmay also be used if it corresponds to the DOT specification or UN standard authorized by\nthe HMR. By incorporating ISO 11119-2:2012/Amd.1:2014(E) into § 171.7 of the HMR,\nPHMSA authorizes composite cylinders designed to meet this standard.\nQ2. May ISO 11119-2 refillable composite cylinders approved by Transport Canada be\noffered for sale and placed into commerce in the United States?\nA2. Yes. See answer A1.\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nQ3. May ISO 11119-2 refillable composite cylinders, including cylinders conforming to valve\nprotection standards in ISO 11117, be filled within the United States in accordance with\nthe HMR instead of Transport Canada TDG Regulations?\nA3. Yes. Canadian approved UN specification cylinders may be filled within the United\nStates in accordance with the requirements of the HMR instead of Transport Canada\nTDR regulations. Note that valves are subject to the protection requirements in\n§ 173.301b(c).\nQ4. May an organization that has a Requalification Identification Number (RIN) issued by the\nUnited States DOT requalify these cylinders?\nA4. Yes, provided that the scope of the requalification facility RIN approval includes\nperforming requalification of Transport Canada-approved ISO 11119-2 pressure\nreceptacles. UN cylinders with a country of approval of the United States or Canada must\nbe tested in accordance with the test requirements in § 180.207, which specifies\nrequirements for the requalification of UN pressure receptacles.\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\nCasey, C.\n26-0004\nFrom: INFOCNTR (PHMSA)\nTo: Baker, Yul (PHMSA)\nCc: Hazmat Interps\nSubject: FW: Request for Interpretation- Use in U.S. Commerce of UN ISO 11119-2 stamped “TC CAN”\nDate: Monday, January 12, 2026 15:31:45\nAttachments: LOI-US DOT-PHMSA_Carbotainer_r3_202512116 Firmada.pdf\nHi Yul,\nPlease see the attached interpretation request.\nLet me know if you need anything.\nJanaye\nFrom: pnoguera@carbotainer.es <pnoguera@carbotainer.es>\nSent: Monday, January 12, 2026 1:10 PM\nTo: INFOCNTR (PHMSA) <INFOCNTR.INFOCNTR@dot.gov>\nSubject: Request for Interpretation- Use in U.S. Commerce of UN ISO 11119-2 stamped “TC CAN”\nNo suele recibir correo electrónico de pnoguera@carbotainer.es. Por qué es esto importante\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 Mr. Kelley,\nMy name is Pedro Noguera, and I am writing on behalf of Carbotainer S.L., Spain, where I\nserve as Quality Manager.\nPlease find attached a signed Request for Interpretation submitted to PHMSA for your\nreview. The letter requests regulatory clarification regarding the use in U.S. commerce of\ncertain UN pressure receptacles manufactured by Carbotainer and certified under\ninternational and Transport Canada frameworks.\nThis request is intended to confirm the applicable regulatory basis and conditions under\nthe U.S. Hazardous Materials Regulations.\nI would kindly appreciate confirmation of receipt of this email.\nWe would appreciate the consideration of the Standards and Rulemaking Division and\nremain available should any additional information be required.\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\nYours sincerely,\nPedro Noguera\nPedro Noguera l Responsable Calidad l Dpto. Calidad\n+34 669037453 Ext. - 295 pnoguera@carbotainer.es\nC/Buenos Aires, Nº4 Pol. Ind. Centrovía\n50196 LA MUELA (Zaragoza) España\nDisclaimer CARBOTAINER - Este mensaje y los documentos, que en su caso, lleve anexos, pueden contener información confidencial y atañe exclusivamente\na las personas a las que va dirigido. Cualquier opinión en el contenido, es exclusiva de su autor y no representa necesariamente la opinión de CARBOTAINER.\nSi usted no es el destinatario de este mensaje, considérese advertido de que lo ha recibido por error y que cualquier uso, difusión o copia están prohibidos legalmente,\npor lo que le rogamos proceda a su borrado y/o destrucción. Igualmente, le rogamos notifique al remitente esta situación para evitar futuros errores. Muchas gracias\npor su ayuda.\n-Este mensaje va dirigido, de manera exclusiva, a su destinatario y puede contener información confidencial y sujeta al secreto profesional, cuya divulgación no está\npermitida por Ley. En caso de haber recibido este mensaje por error, le rogamos que de forma inmediata, nos lo comunique mediante correo electrónico remitido a nuestra\natención y proceda a su eliminación, así como a la de cualquier documento adjunto al mismo. Asimismo, le comunicamos que la distribución, copia o utilización de este\nmensaje, o de cualquier documento adjunto al mismo, cualquiera que fuera su finalidad, están prohibidas por ley. En cumplimiento del Reglamento (UE) 2016/679 del\nParlamento Europeo y del Consejo, de 27 de abril de 2016, y la Ley Orgánica 3/2018, de 5 de diciembre (LOPDGDD), le informamos que el Responsable del tratamiento\nes CARBOTAINER, S.L., con NIF B99382285. Estos datos personales serán tratados con la finalidad de mantener el contacto y la comunicación. Puede ejercer los\nderechos de acceso, rectificación, supresión, limitación, portabilidad y oposición, de manera gratuita mediante correo electrónico a jcarbues@solquimia.com.\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\nC/Buenos Aires, Nº4 Pol. Ind. Centrovía\n50196 LA MUELA (Zaragoza) España\nRequest for Interpretation U.S. DOT / PHMSA.\nDATE: December 16, 2025\nTO: Mr. 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\nSUBJECT: Request for Interpretation- Use in U.S. Commerce of UN ISO 11119-2 stamped “TC\nCAN” as per Transport Canada Registration per Standard CSA B341may be used in U.S.\nINTRODUCTION\nCarbotainer, manufacturer of UN pressure receptacles certified under the UN ISO 11119-2\nstandard and holding a type approval registered by Transport Canada (TC) under\nRegistration No. 39-2-0017, respectfully requests confirmation from PHMSA regarding the\napplicability and recognition of such cylinders for use within the United States.\nThis inquiry is presented to clarify the acceptance and conditions of use of these pressure\nreceptacles when introduced into U.S. commerce, transported by carriers, filled or\nrequalified domestically, or offered for sale within the United States.\nQUESTIONS PRESENTED\nQ1-Shipment / Offer in Commerce.\nQuestion 1: May ISO 11119-2 UN pressure receptacles meeting the requirements of the\nTransport Canada TDG Regulations and marked with a country of approval “CAN” to be used\nto transport hazardous materials within the United States by highway, rail, air, and vessel?\nAnswer 1: Yes, within the requirements of 49CFR 171.12(a)\nQ2- Sale.\nQuestion 1: May UN ISO 11119-2 composite cylinders manufactured and certified under\nthe Transport Canada TDG Regulations and marked with a country of approval “CAN” be\noffered for sale and placed into U.S. commerce?\nAnswer 2: Yes, provided they meet all applicable technical requirements, and any\nrepresentation or sale must accurately reflect such compliance in accordance with 49 CFR\n171.2(f), 171.2(g) and 171.2(h).\nV20251216 1 / 2\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\nC/Buenos Aires, Nº4 Pol. Ind. Centrovía\n50196 LA MUELA (Zaragoza) España\nRequest for Interpretation U.S. DOT / PHMSA.\nQ3 -Filling / Refilling in the U.S.\nQuestion 3: May ISO 11119-2 UN pressure receptacles meeting the requirements of the\nTransport Canada TDG Regulations and marked with a country of approval “CAN” including\nvalve protection per ISO 11117 be filled within the United States per 49CFR Part 173\nrequirements in-lieu of Transport Canada TDG Regulations?\nAnswer 3: Yes.\nQ4 - Requalification in the U.S\nQuestion 4: May an organization that has a Requalification Identification Number (RIN) issued by\nUS DOT requalify ISO 11119-2 UN pressure receptacles meeting the requirements of the\nTransport Canada TDG Regulations and marked with a country of approval “CAN”?\nAnswer: 4: Yes, provided the organization has within their US DOT RIN approval scope to requalify\n“CAN” approved ISO 11119-2 UN pressure receptacles to the requirements of Transport Canada\nTDG Regulations.\nWe respectfully request PHMSA’s written interpretation to the specific questions stated above.\nPlease contact me if any clarification is needed.\nSincerely,\nGuillermo Garcia Andreu\nIndustrial, Technical and Production Director\nCarbotainer S.L.\nV20251216 2 / 2","truncated":false,"body_characters":9895}