[thallub]

DOT is "harmonizing" its shipping regulations to conform with international standards.

Q. I’ve heard the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) is phasing out the Consumer Commodity (ORM-D) exceptions from the Hazardous Material Regulations (HMR; 49 CFR parts 171-180). When did this happen? When does it take effect? And does this mean that regular consumer products need shipping papers and the whole rigmarole of marks, labels, and UN specification packaging like regular hazmat?

A. Some of what you’ve heard is correct. As part of an effort to harmonize domestic regulations with international standards, the DOT is phasing out the ORM-D exceptions for consumer commodities. After December 31, 2012, you won’t be able to use the ORM-D-Air provisions, and after December 31, 2013, you won’t be able to use the ORM-D exceptions for other modes of transportation (vessel, highway, or rail).

Once the ORM-D Consumer Commodity classification goes away, any products you shipped under that description will have to be described as regular hazardous materials.

But, because consumer commodity type packages don’t contain very much hazmat, they still have a lot of options that don’t require the full weight of the HMR [76 FR 3308; January 19, 2011].

http://blog.lion.com/index.php/2011/...ppen-to-orm-d/