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March 7th, 2019 | Posted in General
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published on March 6, 2019 its long-awaited lithium battery Interim Final Rule (IFR) that is intended to generally harmonize the U.S. lithium ion and lithium metal battery hazardous materials regulations (HMR) with the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The new requirements in the IFR took effect on March 6th.
There are several key provisions applicable to the air transport of lithium ion cells and batteries that are being adopted through this rulemaking. These include:
Another important aspect of the IFR is that the U.S. DOT now requires an additional package mark and label for excepted lithium ion cells (≤ 20 Wh) and batteries (≤ 100 Wh) when shipped by highway or rail in the U.S. The new package mark and label requirements, which took effect March 6th, are generally consistent with what has been required in the U.S. since December 2004 for shipping excepted lithium metal cells and batteries by motor vehicle or rail.
Public comments on the IFR must be filed with the U.S. DOT by May 6, 2019.