Hazardous substances

Scope

The transportation of hazardous substances is subject to the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR) as required by 49 United States Code 5101-5127. Hazardous substances listed on a hazardous materials shipping paper may require additional details.

Regulatory citations

• 49 CFR 171.8 — Definitions and abbreviations
• 49 CFR 172.101 — Purpose and use of hazardous materials table
• 49 CFR 172.101 Appendix A — List of hazardous substances and reportable quantities
• 49 CFR 172.203 — Additional description requirements
• 49 CFR 172.324 — Hazardous substances in non-bulk packagings

Key definitions

• Hazardous substance: A material, including a mixture and a solution, is a hazardous substance if it:
  • Is listed in Appendix A to 172.101; and
  • Is in a quantity, in one package, which equals or exceeds the reportable quantity (RQ) listed in Appendix A; and
  • When in a mixture or solution is in a concentration by weight which equals or exceeds the concentration corresponding to the RQ of the material, as shown in the table in 171.8.
• Proper shipping name: The name of the hazardous material shown in Roman print (not italics) in 172.101 (Hazardous Materials Table).
• Reportable quantity: The quantity specified in column 2 of the appendix to 172.101 for any material identified in column 1 of the appendix.
• Shipping paper: A shipping order, bill of lading, manifest or other shipping document serving a similar purpose and prepared in accordance with Part 172, Subpart C.

Summary of requirements

Hazardous materials must be appropriately labeled according to the following guidelines:

• If a material to be shipped is a hazardous substance and:
  • Is specifically listed by name in the hazardous materials table (HMT), the proper shipping name is the one listed in the HMT.
  • Is not listed by name in the HMT, and does not meet the definition of any other hazard class, the proper shipping name is either “Environmentally hazardous substance, liquid, n.o.s.” or “Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s.” (172.101(c)(8))
• No matter what shipping name is chosen, the letters “RQ” (for reportable quantity) must be added to the shipping paper entry for a hazardous substance as specified in 172.203(c).
• If the shipping name does not identify the hazardous substance by name, the name of the hazardous substance must be entered in parentheses in association with the basic description.
• If the material contains two or more hazardous substances, at least two, including the two with the lowest RQs must be entered in parentheses. For hazardous wastes, a waste code (e.g. D001) may be used to identify the hazardous substance. 172.203(c)
  • Example: RQ, UN3077, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (Diazinon), 9, PG III
• Non-bulk packaging, which contains a reportable quantity of a hazardous substance, must be marked with the letters “RQ” in association with the shipping name. If the shipping name does not identify the hazardous substance(s) by name, the name(s) of the hazardous substance(s) must be marked in parentheses in association with the shipping name. 172.324
  • Example: RQ, Environmentally hazardous substance, solid, n.o.s. (Diazinon), UN3077