• There are several exceptions to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations.
• Exemptions to the TDG regulations include a 150-kilogram gross mass exemption, the 500-kilogram gross mass exemption, and a limited quantities exemption.
• Some gross mass exemptions don’t apply to certain types of materials.

Like many regulatory requirements, there are always exceptions. The Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations are no different.

Exceptions exist to help provide relief from the TDG’s regulatory requirements.

150-kilogram (330-pound) gross mass exemption

Part 3 (Documentation), Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks), Part 5 (Means of Containment), Part 6 (Training), and Part 8 (Reporting Requirements) do not apply to the handling, offering for transport, or transporting of dangerous goods on a road vehicle, a railway vehicle, or a vessel on a domestic voyage if all of the following are met:

• In the case of:
  • Dangerous goods included in Class 2, Gases, they are in one or more small means of containment in compliance with the requirements for transporting gases in Part 5 (Means of Containment), except that, in the case of dangerous goods that are UN1950, AEROSOLS, or UN2037, GAS CARTRIDGES, the requirement in section 8.1.7 of CGSB-43.123 that aerosol containers and gas cartridges be tightly packed in a strong outer packaging does not apply; or
  • Dangerous goods not included in Class 2, Gases, they are in one or more small means of containment designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport, including handling, there will be no accidental release of the dangerous goods that could endanger public safety;
• Except for dangerous goods included in Class 2, Gases, the dangerous goods are contained in one or more means of containment each of which has a gross mass less than or equal to 30 kg (66 pounds);
• The gross mass of all dangerous goods:
  • Transported on the road vehicle or the railway vehicle is less than or equal to 150 kilograms (330 pounds); and
  • Transported on the vessel on a domestic voyage is less than or equal to 150 kilograms (330 pounds), excluding dangerous goods in a road vehicle or railway vehicle being transported on the vessel; and
• The dangerous goods are in a quantity or concentration available to the general public and are transported:
  • By a user or purchaser of the dangerous goods; or
  • By a retailer to or from a user or purchaser of the dangerous goods.

The 150-kilogram gross mass exemption doesn’t apply to certain types of materials. These materials include dangerous goods that:

• Are in a quantity or concentration that requires an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP);
• Require a control or emergency temperature;
• Are included in Class 1, Explosives, except for UN numbers UN0012, UN0014, UN0044, UN0055, UN0105, UN0131, UN0161, UN0173, UN0186, UN0191, UN0197, UN0276, UN0312, UN0323, UN0335 if classified as a consumer firework, UN0336, UN0337, UN0351, UN0373, UN0378, UN0404, UN0405, UN0431, UN0432, UN0454, UN0499, UN0501, UN0503, UN0505 to UN0507, UN0509 and UN0510;
• Are included in Class 2.1, Flammable Gases, and are in a cylinder with a capacity greater than 46 L;
• Are included in Class 2.3, Toxic Gases;
• Are included in Class 4, Flammable Solids; Substances Liable to Spontaneous Combustion; Substances that on Contact with Water Emit Flammable Gases (Water-reactive Substances); and in Packing Group I;
• Are included in Class 5.2, Organic Peroxides, unless they are allowed to be transported as limited quantities in accordance with section 1.17 and column 6(a) of Schedule 1;
• Are liquids included in Class 6.1, Toxic Substances, and Packing Group I;
• Are included in Class 6.2, Infectious Substances; or
• Are included in Class 7, Radioactive Materials, and are required to be licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

500-kg (1,102-pound) gross mass exemption

Part 3 (Documentation), Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks) and Part 5 (Means of Containment) do not apply to the handling, offering for transport or transporting of dangerous goods on a road vehicle, a railway vehicle, or a vessel on a domestic voyage if:

• In the case of:
  • Dangerous goods included in Class 2, Gases, they are in one or more small means of containment in compliance with the requirements for transporting gases in Part 5 (Means of Containment); or
  • Dangerous goods not included in Class 2, Gases, they are in one or more means of containment:
    • Each of which has a gross mass less than or equal to 30 kg and that is designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport, including handling, there will be no accidental release of the dangerous goods that could endanger public safety; or
    • That are drums in compliance with the requirements of section 5.12 of Part 5 (Means of Containment), for transporting dangerous goods in drums;
• The gross mass of all dangerous goods:
  • Transported on the road vehicle or the railway vehicle is less than or equal to 500 kg; and
  • Transported on the vessel on a domestic voyage is less than or equal to 500 kg, excluding the dangerous goods in a road vehicle or railway vehicle being transported on the vessel;
• Each means of containment has displayed on one side, other than a side on which it is intended to rest or to be stacked during transport:
  • The dangerous goods safety marks required by Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks), or
  • For dangerous goods, other than dangerous goods included in Class 2, Gases, the shipping name of the dangerous goods and the marks required for them in one of the following Acts and regulations, as long as those marks are legible and visible during handling and transporting in the same manner as dangerous goods safety marks:
    • (A) the Pest Control Products Act and its regulations; or
    • (B) the Hazardous Products Act and its regulations;
• The dangerous goods are accompanied by a shipping document or document that is located, for a road or railway vehicle or a vessel, in accordance with the requirements for location of a shipping document in sections 3.7 to 3.9 of Part 3 (Documentation); and
• Any document referred to in paragraph (d), other than a shipping document, includes the following information in the following order:
  • The primary class of the dangerous goods, following the word “Class” or “Classe”, and
  • The total number of means of containment, on which a dangerous goods safety mark is required to be displayed, for each primary class, following the words “number of means of containment” or “nombre de contenants.”

The 500-kilogram gross mass exemption doesn’t apply to certain types of materials. These materials include dangerous goods that:

• Are in a quantity or concentration that requires an Emergency Response Assistance Plan (ERAP);
• Require a control or emergency temperature;
• Are included in Class 1, Explosives, except for:
  • Explosives included in Class 1.4S; or
  • UN numbers UN0191, UN0197, UN0276, UN0312, UN0336, UN0403, UN0431, UN0453 and UN0493;
• Are included in Class 2.1, Flammable Gases, and are in a cylinder with a capacity greater than 46 L;
• Are included in Class 2.3, Toxic Gases;
• Are included in Class 4, Flammable Solids; Substances Liable to Spontaneous Combustion; Substances that on Contact with Water Emit Flammable Gases (Water-reactive Substances); and in Packing Group I;
• Are included in Class 5.2, Organic Peroxides, unless they are allowed to be transported as limited quantities in accordance with section 1.17 and column 6(a) of Schedule 1;
• Are liquids included in Class 6.1, Toxic Substances, and Packing Group I;
• Are included in Class 6.2, Infectious Substances; or
• Are included in Class 7, Radioactive Materials, and are required to be licensed by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

Limited quantities exemption

A quantity of dangerous goods, other than explosives, is a limited quantity if:

• The dangerous goods are in one or more means of containment designed, constructed, filled, closed, secured and maintained so that under normal conditions of transport, including handling, there will be no accidental release of the dangerous goods that could endanger public safety; and
• Each outer means of containment has a gross mass that is less than or equal to 30 kg and the dangerous goods in the inner means of containment:
  • If solids, have a mass that is less than or equal to the number shown in column 6(a) of Schedule 1, when that number is expressed in kilograms;
  • If liquids, have a volume that is less than or equal to the number shown in column 6(a) of Schedule 1, when that number is expressed in litres; or
  • If gases, including a gas in a liquefied form, are contained in one or more means of containment each of which has a capacity less than or equal to the number shown in column 6(a) of Schedule 1, when that number is expressed in litres.

Part 3 (Documentation), Part 4 (Dangerous Goods Safety Marks), Part 5 (Means of Containment), Part 6 (Training), Part 7 (Emergency Response Assistance Plan) and Part 8 (Reporting Requirements) do not apply to the handling, offering for transport, or transporting of limited quantities of dangerous goods on a road vehicle, a railway vehicle, or a vessel on a domestic voyage if each means of containment is legibly and durably marked on one side, other than a side on which it is intended to rest or to be stacked during transport, with the following:

<<More information on the markings can be found in the Limited Quantities marking within the Dangerous Goods, Markings, Placards, Labels outline >>>