G/TBT/N/MEX/339  
17 January 2017  
(17-0309) Page: 1/3 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade  Original:  Spanish  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
The following notification is being circulated in accordance with Article 10.6.  
 
1. Notifying Member : MEXICO  
If applicable, name of local government involved (Articles 3.2 and 7.2):  
2. Agency responsible : Secretaría de Comunicaciones y Transp ortes, SCT (Ministry of 
Communications and Transport)  
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if di fferent from above:  
Comité Consultivo Nacional de Normalización de Transporte Terrestre (National Advisory 
Committee on Standardization for Land Transport)  
Calzada de las Bombas 411  
Colonia los Girasoles  
Código Postal 04920  
2o. piso, Ciudad de México  
Tel.: (+55) 5723 -9300, Ext. 19030 and/or 19043  
Email: pvacio@sct.gob.mx  and francisco.merchant@sct.gob.mx   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [X], 2.10.1 [ ], 5.6.2 [ ], 5.7.1 [ ], other:  
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff 
heading . ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable) : Trains 
composed of rail haulage units (tariff heading 8705.90)  
5. Title, number of pages and  language(s) of the notified document : PROY-NOM-021-
SCT2/2015 "Disposiciones de compatibilidad y segregación en trenes de unidades de 
arrastre que transportan materiales y residuos peligrosos"  (Draft Mexican Official Standard 
PROY -NOM-021-SCT2/2015 : Provisions concerning compatibility and segregation in trains 
composed of rail haulage units transporting hazardous materials and waste) (9 pages, in 
Spanish)  G/TBT/N/MEX/339  
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  6. Description of content : One of the main problems that may arise in the event of a train 
derailment  is the spillage of hazardous materials and waste . The substances involved may 
be liquids, solids or gases, and be volatile or reactive . This means that certain types of 
substances may, when leaking from the area in which they are contained, react with 
oxygen in the air or any other chemical element present nearby . Such reactions can be 
violent (explosion) o r non-violent, but risk polluting the surrounding land, water or air . 
They may , in extreme cases, lead to the death of living organisms.  
Hazardous mater ials are classified by the United Nations as explosives (substances 
producing a pyrotechnic effect), gases (liquefied, compressed or dissolved under pressure), 
liquids (including mixtures of liquids or liquids containing solids that can give off a 
flammabl e vapour at low temperatures), solids (substances liable to spontaneous 
combustion or which, on contact with water emit flammable gases), oxidizing substances, 
toxic substances, radioactive material, corrosive substances or miscellaneous dangerous 
substanc es. Since trains may be composed of units carrying different types of substances, 
care must be taken to ensure the appropriate train formation and segregation of 
substances depending on the contents of each wagon, so as to prevent any reaction 
between the substances concerned.  
7. Objective and rationale, including the nature of urgent problems where 
applicable : The notified Mexican Official Standard establishes provisions concerning 
compatibility and segregation in trains transporting hazardous materials and waste, with a 
view to ensuring that rail company operations in regard to train formation and yard 
manoeuvres are conducted safely so as to protect human life, general communication 
routes and the environment.  
The Standard is applicable to all licence h olders and eligible parties operating and using a 
general rail communication route, as well as providers of freight and passenger transport 
services and Mexican railway system auxiliary services.  
8. Relevant documents:  
 Mexican Official Standard NOM -002-1-SCT/2012 : Listado de las sustancias y 
materiales peligrosos más usualmente transportados, instrucciones y uso de envases 
y embalajes, recipientes intermedios para graneles (RIG's), grandes envases y 
embalajes, cisternas portátiles, contenedores de gas de e lementos múltiples y 
contenedores para graneles para el transporte de materiales y residuos peligrosos  
(List of the most frequently transported hazardous substances and materials ; 
instructions regarding containers, packaging, intermediate bulk containers ( IBC), 
large containers and packaging, portable tanks, multiple -element gas containers, 
and bulk containers used to transport hazardous materials and waste)  
 Mexican Official Standard NOM -004-SCT-2008: Sistemas de identificación de 
unidades destinadas al tra nsporte de sustancias, materiales y residuos peligrosos  
(Identification systems for units used to transport hazardous substances, materials 
and waste)  
 Mexican Official Standard NOM -009-SCT-2009: Especificaciones especiales y de 
compatibilidad para el almac enamiento y transporte de las sustancias, materiales y 
residuos peligrosos de la clase 1 explosivos  (Special and compatibility specifications 
for the storage and transport of Class 1 hazardous substances, materials and waste 
(explosives))  
 Mexican Official Standard NOM -011-SCT2/2012 : Condiciones para el transporte de 
las sustancias, materiales y residuos peligrosos en cantidades limitadas  (Conditions 
for the transport of dangerous substances, materials and wastes in small quantities)  
 Mexican Official Standar d NOM -027-SCT2/2009 : Especificaciones especiales y 
adicionales para los envases, embalajes, recipientes intermedios a granel, cisternas 
portátiles y transporte de las sustancias, materiales y residuos peligrosos de la 
División 5.2 peróxidos orgánicos  (Spec ial and additional specifications for containers, 
packing, intermediate bulk containers, and portable tanks used to transport Division 
5.2 hazardous substances, materials and waste (organic peroxides))  
 Mexican Official Standard NOM -043-SCT2/2003 : Documento  de embarque de G/TBT/N/MEX/339  
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  substancias, materiales y residuos peligrosos  (Shipping document for hazardous 
substances, materials and waste)  
9. Proposed date of adoption : Once published as a final standard in the Official Journal.  
Proposed date of entry into force : 60 calendar days after publication in the Official 
Journal.  
10. Final date for comments : 60 calendar days after publication in the Official Journal.  
11. Texts available from : National enquiry point [X] or address, telephone and fax 
numbers and email and we bsite addresses, if available, of other body:  
Secretaría de Economía  (Ministry of the Economy)  
Subsecretaría de Competitividad y Normatividad  (Undersecretariat of Competitiveness and 
Standardization)  
Dirección General de Normas  (General Directorate of Stan dards)  
Tel.: (+52) 55 5729 9100, Ext. 43217  
Fax: (+52) 55 5520 9715  
Website: http://www.economia -noms.gob.mx/?P=144  
Email: normasomc@economia.gob.mx  and/o r sofia.pacheco@economia.gob.mx  
Text available online at: 
http://www.dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5465556&fecha=1 5/12/2016  
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2017/TBT/MEX/17_0149_00_s.pdf