The holiday weekend just concluded finds the nation still grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic as the overriding priority in virtually every aspect of our daily lives. This applies to the logistics sector as well, with several new items of interest related to the subject. Life does go on in the meantime too of course, and this is…
Undeclared hazmat? The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is on the case.
Say you need a replacement 420 Wh battery for your electric snowblower. Instead of ordering a new one from the manufacturer, you find an online retailer offering a used battery at a discount. When the battery arrives, you—being somewhat knowledgeable about the rules governing transport of lithium batteries—are surprised to see it’s in a plain,…
Postal rates may increase if U.S. departs Universal Postal Union
Although it does not have the current traction in the news that many other topics do, a technical arrangement that governs the US Postal Service’s relations to other international postal bodies may leave US-based shippers facing higher fees. A meeting in Geneva, Switzerland on September 25-26th is more or less the last chance for the…
Shipping lithium batteries by mail: 3 things you must know
If you’re in the hazmat business, you’re no stranger to Publication 52 from the United States Postal Service. Affectionately referred to as “Pub 52,” this public document (a.k.a. “Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail“) outlines the do’s and don’ts for the safe transport of Dangerous Goods via the U.S. mail. One of the thorniest topics in…
DG Digest: USPS to require triple packaging for most liquids
The St. Patrick’s Day holiday found regulatory activity at moderate pace. Perhaps the biggest news? The US Post Office released its long awaited updated to the rules for shipping liquids in the mail. See that, and all the latest news, right here: PHMSA The agency published three sets of special permit actions. As is typically…
DG Digest: PHMSA Issues Pair of ICRs, USPS to Hold Webinar on LiBat Shipping, and BNSF Seeks O.K. to Use Drones
This morning’s blog finds our nation reeling from yet another senseless and horrific act of gun violence. As we mourn the most recent wave of victims, let us all hope that someday, peace and reason and hope will replace fear and ignorance and anger as the way that all of us choose to relate to…
DG Digest: IATA Previews Changes to the 59th DGR and USPS Updates Pub 52 Lithium Battery Requirements
Summer continues to drift towards its end, with many school districts across our country either back in session last week, or heading back this week—let’s be sure we all do our part to keep both eyes open for our nation’s children as they once again appear on our streets and sidewalks during the morning rush. …
DG Digest: PHMSA Seeks Input for U.N. Geneva Meeting and USPS Revises Lithium Battery Rules
The end of July finds the Federal Register having roared back to life after a period of relative quiet; most of the action revolves around information requests versus rulemaking, but still, given how slow things have been in the US regulatory world, the activity is significant. See all the action below. PHMSA The nation’s DG…
DG Digest: PHMSA addresses ICAO and IMDG Code issues surrounding regulatory freeze
February wraps up with the “regulatory freeze” still in effect in the United States. As such, new US regulatory activity remains low. Rumors continue to swirl regarding imminent release of the USDOT/PHMSA HM-215N UN Harmonization; however, as of press time Monday morning it has not appeared and it is not presently on the schedule for…
DG Digest: Special Permit Delays, USPS Updates Pub 52, and the EPA’s New Tool
August is now in full swing, and the summer doldrums have, at least to a degree, struck the regulatory scene. It was a quiet week, in so far as it goes. However, here are the highlights, which do contain several items of interest: PHMSA: There was an announcement in reference to delayed applications in the…