• HMT Column 5 lists packing groups for the material, which indicate the degree of danger it presents.

Column 5 of the Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) lists packing groups that correspond to the proper shipping name and hazard class of the material. Packing Groups I, II, and III indicate the different degrees of danger presented by the material:

• Packing Group I is a great danger,
• Packing Group II is a medium danger, and
• Packing Group III is a minor danger.

No packing groups are assigned to Class 1, Class 2, Class 7, some Division 6.2 (infectious) materials, and most Class 9 materials.

When more than one packing group is listed for a given proper shipping name, the correct one must be determined using the criteria detailed in Subpart D of 49 CFR 173.

The packing group is modified to read “III” under the following conditions:

• A material is a hazardous waste or a hazardous substance,
• The proper shipping name is preceded in Column 1 by the letter “A” or “W,” and
• The material is being offered for transportation or transported by a mode for which its transportation is not otherwise regulated.

If the proper shipping name is preceded by a plus (+) in Column 1, the proper shipping name, hazard class, and packing group are fixed even if the material does not meet the definition of the class, packing group, or any other hazard class.