Advisory: Important Hazardous Materials Regulatory Changes in the US

Logistics Insight Asia - Top Story, 25/2/2008

The US Department of Transportation (DOT) has implemented two important regulatory changes which may affect hazardous materials shipments.

First, the DOT has modified the shipping paper requirements to include the number and type of packages. Please refer to Title 49 of the US Code of Federal Regulations (49CFR) Part 172.200 for specific requirements. This new requirement became mandatory for all hazardous material shipments on October 1, 2007. Failure to comply with this requirement on or after October 1 will result in the return of shipments.

Second, the DOT has modified the shipping paper requirements affecting ORM-D shipments via air services. DOT's new rule requires the shipper to record the gross mass of the package as part of the basic description. Shippers will no longer be allowed to indicate the net mass of the hazardous material in the package. This new requirement became mandatory on January 1, 2008.

Voluntary compliance with these new rules is allowed by DOT. It may be very much advantageous to make these changes in documentation processes as soon as possible.

Those using UPS Hazardous Materials software, this change will be incorporated into the application.

Please direct all questions to the UPS Hazardous Materials Support Center at 800-554-9964.

UPS, www.ups.com