Among the many complications of our new e-commerce world, reverse logistics may be the most headache-inducing. In a recent Reverse Logistics article, I wrote that, “products bought at brick-and-mortar stores are returned around 9% of the time, while the return rate for online purchases is nearly three time higher.” Most of those millions of returns…
DG Symposium Day 3: learning from Lithium Battery Friday
You know you’re in a conference full of Dangerous Goods pros when a panelist says, “Hey, how about that electric violin at Labelmaster Fest last night? What do you suppose the watt-hour rating on those rechargeable batteries is?” Yes, it was Lithium Battery Friday at the Dangerous Goods Symposium—a annual tradition where a panel of…
DG Symposium preview: Why is lithium battery recycling suddenly sexy?
Todd Coy, Vice President at KBI, will speak about “Lithium Battery Recycling and End of Life Transport” at the 14th annual Dangerous Goods Symposium, September 4–6, 2019, in Chicago. The third day of every Dangerous Goods Symposium is devoted to lithium battery issues, with an expert panel sharing the latest regulatory developments and fielding pointed…
Explosives aren’t the only e-commerce hazmat you might ship for July 4th
July 4th is the day we celebrate being American, and what’s more American than getting what you want, when you want it? E-commerce delivers on that dream for millions of Americans every day, and that can be a beautiful thing. It can also be a dangerous thing, because many e-commerce shippers still don’t realize when…
Obexion’s “Excellence in Transit Packaging” award: our acceptance speech
Creating resources for safe and compliant Dangerous Goods transport isn’t generally considered a creative business. Unlike practitioners of film, music, television and literature, we don’t dream about winning awards. And yet, we have. Last week, at Industrial Pack 2019, our Obexion lithium battery packaging won the Industrial Packaging Award for Excellence in Transit Packaging. There…
DG Digest: PHMSA harmonizes with ICAO on lithium battery transport
The second full week in March finds PHMSA having published its lithium battery by air revisions, and, just to make things interesting, the agency threw in a twist. See the details below. Meanwhile, Spring Break season is here. Make sure your employees don’t get distracted from their need to be safe—a looming vacation can often…
DG Digest: PHMSA releases draft rule: lithium battery harmonization may be upon us
PHMSA The agency, in consultation with the Federal Railroad Administration and pursuant to the Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act (FAST Act) of 2015, issued a final rule to revise and clarify requirements for comprehensive oil spill response plans (COSRPs) and to expand their applicability based on petroleum oil thresholds that apply to an entire train…
The Labelmaster guide to Valentine’s Day hazmat shipping
Today is the day when people all over the world celebrate love. This celebration is often manifested by the sending of cherished missives and objects from lover to lover. While the standard Valentine’s card or box of chocolates requires no special measures, it’s important to realize that many romantic notions have Dangerous Goods implications. We…
Lithium Battery Friday—a.k.a. 2018 Dangerous Goods Symposium, Day 3
There’s a special charge in the air on Friday at the Dangerous Goods Symposium, because Day 3 is Lithium Battery Day. Everyone’s favorite regulated material gets an all-star panel and a no-(cargo) holds-barred Q & A session, so there’s a high capacity for shock. As IATA’s Dave Brennan said, “Lithium batteries are a very emotional…
DG Digest: FMCSA to hold listening session on HOS, PHMSA announces new special permits
The Labor Day week is over, and the last of the summer holidays has passed. Along with the return to school for children, this time of the year often portends a busier regulatory schedule as regulators, like everyone else, get back to being busy. We’ll see how this fall goes, but meanwhile, here’s the last…