[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 49, Volume 2]

[Revised as of October 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 49CFR173.12]



[Page 432-433]

 

                        TITLE 49--TRANSPORTATION

 

   CHAPTER I--PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION, 

                      DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

 

PART 173_SHIPPERS_GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR SHIPMENTS AND PACKAGINGS

--Table of Contents

 

                            Subpart A_General

 

Sec. 173.12  Exceptions for shipment of waste materials.



    (a) Open head drums. If a hazardous material that is a hazardous 

waste is required by this subchapter to be shipped in a closed head drum 

(i.e., a drum with a 7.0 cm (3 inches) or less bung opening) and the 

hazardous waste contains solids or semisolids that make its placement in 

a closed head drum impracticable, an equivalent (except for closure) 

open head drum may be used for the hazardous waste.

    (b) Lab packs. (1) Waste materials classed as Class or Division 3, 

4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 5.1, 6.1, 8, or 9 are excepted from the specification 

packaging requirements of this subchapter for combination packagings if 

packaged in accordance with this paragraph and transported for disposal 

or recovery by highway, rail or cargo vessel only. In addition, a 

generic description from the Sec. 172.101 table may be used in place of 

specific chemical names, when two or more chemically compatible waste 

materials in the same hazard class are packaged in the same outside 

packaging.

    (2) Additional packaging requirements are as follows:

    (i) The outer packaging must be a UN 1A2 or UN 1B2 metal drum, a UN 

1D plywood drum, a UN 1G fiber drum or a UN 1H2 plastic drum tested and 

marked at least for the Packing Group III performance level for liquids 

or solids;

    (ii) The inner packagings must be either glass, not exceeding 4 L (1 

gallon) rated capacity, or metal or plastic, not exceeding 20 L (5.3 

gallons) rated capacity;

    (iii) Each outer packaging may contain only one class of hazardous 

material;

    (iv) Inner packagings containing liquid must be surrounded by a 

chemically compatible absorbent material in sufficient quantity to 

absorb the total liquid contents; and

    (v) Gross weight of the complete package may not exceed 205 kg (452 

lbs).

    (3) Prohibited materials. The following materials may not be 

packaged or described under the provisions of this paragraph (b): a 

material poisonous by inhalation, a Division 6.1 Packing Group I 

material, a Division 4.2 Packing Group I material, chloric acid and 

oleum (fuming sulfuric acid).

    (c) Reuse of packagings. A previously used packaging may be reused 

for the shipment of waste material transported for disposal or recovery, 

not subject to the reconditioning and reuse provisions contained in 

Sec. 173.28 and part 178 of this subchapter, under the following 

conditions:

    (1) Except as authorized by this paragraph, the waste must be 

packaged in accordance with this part and offered for transportation in 

accordance with the requirements of this subchapter.

    (2) Transportation is performed by highway only.

    (3) A package is not offered for transportation less than 24 hours 

after it is finally closed for transportation, and each package is 

inspected for leakage and is found to be free from leaks immediately 

prior to being offered for transportation.

    (4) Each package is loaded by the shipper and unloaded by the 

consignee, unless the motor carrier is a private or contract carrier.

    (5) The packaging may be used only once under this paragraph and may 

not be used again for shipment of hazardous materials except in 

accordance with Sec. 173.28.

    (d) Technical names for n.o.s. descriptions. The requirements for 

the inclusion of technical names for n.o.s. descriptions on shipping 

papers and package markings, Sec. Sec. 172.203 and 172.301 of this 

subchapter, respectively, do not apply to packages prepared in 

accordance with paragraph (b) of this section,



[[Page 433]]



except that packages containing materials meeting the definition of a 

hazardous substance must be described as required in Sec. 172.203 of 

this subchapter and marked as required in Sec. 172.324 of this 

subchapter.

    (e) Exceptions from segregation requirements. (1) The provisions of 

Sec. Sec. 174.81(c), 176.83(b) and 177.848(c) of this subchapter do not 

apply to waste cyanides or waste cyanide mixtures or solutions stored, 

loaded, or transported with acids in accordance with the following:

    (i) The waste cyanides or waste cyanide mixtures or solutions must 

be packaged in lab packs in accordance with paragraph (b) of this 

section;

    (ii) The Class 8 acids must be packaged in lab packs in accordance 

with paragraph (b) of this section or in authorized single packagings 

not exceeding 208 L (55 gallons) capacity;

    (iii) Waste cyanides or waste cyanide mixtures may not exceed 2 kg 

(4.4 pounds) per inner receptacle and may not exceed 10 kg (22 pounds) 

per outer packaging; waste cyanide solutions may not exceed 2 L (0.6 

gallon) per inner receptacle and may not exceed 10 L (3.0 gallons) per 

outer packaging.

    (iv) The waste cyanides or waste cyanide mixtures or solutions must 

be--

    (A) Separated from the acids by a minimum horizontal distance of 1.2 

m (4 feet); and

    (B) Loaded at least 100 mm (4 inches) off the floor of the freight 

container, unit load device, transport vehicle or rail car.

    (2) The provisions of Sec. Sec. 174.81(d), 176.83(b) and 177.848(d) 

of this subchapter do not apply to waste Division 4.2 materials stored, 

loaded or transported with Class 8 liquids in accordance with the 

following:

    (i) The waste Division 4.2 materials are packaged in lab packs in 

accordance with paragraph (b) of this section;

    (ii) The Class 8 liquids are packaged in lab packs in accordance 

with paragraph (b) of this section or in authorized single packagings 

not exceeding 208 L (55 gallons) capacity;

    (iii) The waste Division 4.2 materials may not exceed 2 kg (4.4 

pounds) per inner receptacle and may not exceed 10 kg (22 pounds) per 

outer packaging;

    (iv) The waste Division 4.2 materials must be separated from the 

Class 8 liquids by a minimum horizontal distance of 1.2 m (4 feet);

    (v) The waste Division 4.2 materials and the Class 8 liquids are 

loaded at least 100 mm (4 inches) off the floor of the freight 

container, unit load device, transport vehicle or rail car.



[Amdt. 173-224, 55 FR 52609, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended at 56 FR 66265, 

Dec. 20, 1991; Amdt. 173-231, 57 FR 52939, Nov. 5, 1992; Amdt. 173-138, 

59 FR 49133, Sept. 26, 1994; 65 FR 50460, Aug. 18, 2000; 65 FR 58629, 

Sept. 29, 2000; 68 FR 48569, Aug. 14, 2003; 70 FR 3309, Jan. 24, 2005]