Document ID: PHMSA-2009-0253-0001
Agency: phmsa
Document Type: Rule
Title: Notice of Approval: Lithium Battery Shipping Descriptions
Posted Date: 2009-08-25T04:00Z

[Federal Register: August 25, 2009 (Volume 74, Number 163)]
[Notices]               
[Page 42952-42955]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr25au09-124]                         

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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2009-0253; Notice No. 09-4]

 
Notice of Approval: Lithium Battery Shipping Descriptions

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

ACTION: Notice of approval.

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SUMMARY: PHMSA is authorizing persons who offer lithium metal and 
lithium ion cells and batteries for transportation in commerce, and 
persons who transport lithium metal and lithium ion cells and batteries 
in commerce, to describe those articles in the same manner as recently 
adopted in international regulations. PHMSA will consider adopting 
these alternate shipping descriptions into the Hazardous Materials 
Regulations at a future date.

DATES: Effective Date: This notice of approval is effective August 25, 
2009.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Donald Burger, Office of Hazardous 
Materials Special Permits and Approvals, Pipeline and Hazardous 
Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 
East Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001, 
telephone (202) 366-4535.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: 

I. Background

    The Sec.  172.101 Hazardous Materials Table (HMT) in the Hazardous 
Material Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR Parts 171-180) contains the following 
entries for lithium batteries, which apply to both lithium metal 
(primary; non-rechargeable) and lithium ion (secondary; rechargeable) 
batteries:

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lithium battery.................................................               9          UN3090           PG II
Lithium batteries contained in equipment........................               9          UN3091           PG II
Lithium batteries packed with equipment.........................               9          UN3091           PG II
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    In 2006, the United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport 
of Dangerous Goods adopted separate entries for lithium metal and 
lithium ion batteries (see chart below) into the dangerous goods list 
in the Fifteenth revised edition of the UN Recommendations on the 
Transport of Dangerous Goods, in order to distinguish lithium metal 
from lithium ion batteries. The International Civil Aviation 
Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization 
subsequently adopted these entries into their respective dangerous 
goods lists.
    We did not adopt these new shipping descriptions for lithium 
batteries in a final rule published January 14, 2009 under Dockets HM-
224D and HM-215J (74 FR 2200) harmonizing the HMR with recent changes 
to international regulations because we had not proposed these changes 
in the notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) (73 FR 44803; July 31, 
2008). In response to comments to the NPRM that urged PHMSA to adopt 
the separate entries for lithium metal and lithium ion batteries, we 
noted that the HMR permit compliance with the ICAO Technical 
Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air 
(Technical Instructions). Thus, the separate shipping descriptions for 
lithium metal and lithium ion batteries may be used for air 
transportation, both domestically and internationally, and for 
transportation by motor vehicle and rail immediately before or after 
being transported by aircraft. [74 FR 2207] We also stated we planned 
to complete an assessment of the costs and benefits of further 
restrictions and available alternatives before developing additional 
lithium battery rulemaking proposals and therefore, PHMSA did not adopt 
changes to the lithium battery requirements including the separate 
shipping descriptions. [74 FR 2207]
    Since that time, we have concluded that assigning the same shipping 
descriptions to both lithium metal and lithium ion batteries, which are 
regulated differently based on differences in chemistry, functionality, 
and behavior when exposed to a fire, causes significant problems in 
acceptance procedures for carriers and may unnecessarily hinder or 
delay the transportation of these products. While the HMR permit the 
use of the ICAO Technical Instructions as well as the International 
Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code) for domestic transportation 
when a portion of the transportation is by aircraft or vessel, 
subsequent domestic transportation of packages containing lithium 
batteries remains difficult.
    PHMSA is currently working on a rulemaking intended to enhance the 
safe transportation of lithium batteries. As part of this rulemaking, 
we are considering adoption of the international shipping descriptions 
for lithium metal and lithium ion batteries. To facilitate commerce, 
however, PHMSA believes shippers should be

[[Page 42953]]

permitted to use the international lithium battery shipping 
descriptions for the domestic transportation of lithium batteries even 
though the shipping descriptions have not been adopted into the HMR.
    Section 172.101(l)(2) of the HMR permits alterations to the 
shipping descriptions in the HMT with prior written approval of the 
Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety. In accordance 
with Sec.  172.101(l)(2), PHMSA is authorizing use of the lithium 
battery shipping descriptions (i.e., the lithium battery hazardous 
materials descriptions and UN identification numbers) that have been 
adopted into dangerous goods lists in the international regulations as 
alternatives to the lithium battery hazardous materials descriptions 
and UN identification numbers currently authorized in the HMT, 
effective as of the date of publication of this notice in the Federal 
Register. For clarity, the following chart provides a comparative list 
of the current shipping descriptions in the HMT and the corresponding 
international shipping descriptions that may be used.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

------------------------------------------------------------------------
         HMR Shipping Description   International Shipping
                                         Description
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lithium battery...............     UN3090   Lithium ion           UN3480
                                             batteries
                                             including
                                             lithium ion
                                             polymer
                                             batteries.
                                ..........  Lithium metal         UN3090
                                             batteries
                                             including
                                             lithium alloy
                                             batteries.
Lithium batteries contained in     UN3091   Lithium ion           UN3481
 equipment.                                  batteries
                                             contained in
                                             equipment
                                             including
                                             lithium ion
                                             polymer
                                             batteries.
                                ..........  Lithium metal         UN3091
                                             batteries,
                                             contained in
                                             equipment
                                             including
                                             lithium alloy
                                             batteries.
Lithium batteries packed with      UN3091   Lithium ion           UN3481
 equipment.                                  batteries packed
                                             with equipment
                                             including
                                             lithium ion
                                             polymer
                                             batteries.
                                ..........  Lithium metal         UN3091
                                             batteries packed
                                             with equipment
                                             including
                                             lithium alloy
                                             batteries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

II. Approval

Regulatory Authority

    Authority is granted under 49 CFR 172.101(l)(2) to persons who 
offer lithium metal and lithium ion cells and batteries for 
transportation in commerce, and persons who transport lithium metal and 
lithium ion cells and batteries in commerce, to use the following 
hazardous materials descriptions and UN identification numbers as 
alternatives to the hazardous materials descriptions and UN 
identification numbers set forth in the 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous 
Materials Table, as applicable:

Lithium ion batteries contained in equipment including            UN3481
 lithium ion polymer batteries...............................
Lithium ion batteries including lithium ion polymer batteries     UN3480
Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment including lithium     UN3481
 ion polymer batteries.......................................
Lithium metal batteries contained in equipment including          UN3091
 lithium alloy batteries.....................................
Lithium metal batteries including lithium alloy batteries....     UN3090
Lithium metal batteries packed with equipment including           UN3091
 lithium alloy batteries.....................................

For the convenience of the user of this approval, the complete entries 
with the authorized alternative hazardous materials descriptions and UN 
identification numbers are as follows:

[[Page 42954]]

                                                                             Sec.   172.101 Hazardous Material Table
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                 Hazardous                                                                                     Packaging (Sec.   173.***)         Quantity limitations        Vessel stowage
                 materials        Hazard                                                    Special     ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Symbols    descriptions and    class or    Identification       PG      Label codes  provisions (Sec.                                          Passenger      Cargo
              proper shipping    division         Nos.                                      172.102)      Exceptions    Non-bulk       Bulk      aircraft/     aircraft    Location      Other
                   names                                                                                                                            rail         only
(1)          (2).............  (3)........  (4)............  (5)........  (6)........  (7).............  (8A).......  (8B).......  (8C).......  (9A).......  (9B).......  (10A)       (10B)
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             Lithium ion       9..........  UN3481.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188, 189,     185........  185........  None.......  See A104...  35 kg......  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 190, A54, A55,
              contained in                                                              A104.
              equipment
              including
              lithium ion
              polymer
              batteries.
             Lithium ion       9..........  UN3480.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188,          185........  185........  None.......  See A100...  35 kg gross  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 189,190, A54,
              including                                                                 A55, A100.
              lithium ion
              polymer
              batteries.
             Lithium ion       9..........  UN3481.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188, 189,     185........  185........  None.......  See A103...  35 kg gross  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 190, A54, A55,
              packed with                                                               A103.
              equipment
              including
              lithium ion
              polymer
              batteries.
             Lithium metal     9..........  UN3091.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188, 189,     185........  185........  None.......  See A101...  35 kg......  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 190, A54, A55,
              contained in                                                              A101, A104.
              equipment
              including
              lithium alloy
              batteries.
             Lithium metal     9..........  UN3090.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188,          185........  185........  None.......  Forbidden.   35 kg gross  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 189,190, A54,                                            See A100.
              including                                                                 A55, A100.
              lithium alloy
              batteries.
             Lithium metal     9..........  UN3091.........  II.........  9..........  29, 188, 189,     185........  185........  None.......  See A101...  35 kg gross  A.          ..........
              batteries                                                                 190, A54, A55,
              packed with                                                               A101, A103.
              equipment
              including
              lithium alloy
              batteries.
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[[Page 42955]]

Conditions for Approval

    This notice of approval does not provide relief from any other 
requirements of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (49 CFR Parts 171-
180) except as stated herein. Lithium metal batteries continue to be 
prohibited onboard passenger-carrying aircraft except as provided in 
Special Provision A101 of Sec.  172.101(c)(2). This approval is 
effective August 25, 2009 until terminated by the Associate 
Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.

Modes of Transportation Authorized

    Motor vehicle, passenger and cargo aircraft, cargo vessel, and 
rail.

General Provisions

    Failure by any person using this approval to comply with the terms 
and conditions of this approval or the HMR may result in suspension or 
termination of the authority to use this approval. Failure to comply 
may also subject persons to penalties prescribed in 49 U.S.C. 5123 and 
5124.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 18, 2009.
Robert Richard,
Acting Associate Administrator for Hazardous Materials Safety.
[FR Doc. E9-20343 Filed 8-24-09; 8:45 am]

BILLING CODE 4910-60-P