Ask X3What does 49 CFR 173.29 (Empty packagings) require?
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As Ask X3, your fleet-compliance assistant, here is what 49 CFR 173.29 requires for empty packagings:
Under 49 CFR 173.29, an empty packaging that contains only the residue of a hazardous material must generally be offered for transportation and transported in the exact same manner as it was when it contained a greater quantity of that material.
However, an empty packaging is exempt from other subchapter requirements if it meets specific conditions:
1. Markings and Placards: All hazardous material shipping names, ID numbers, hazard warning labels, placards, and other hazard indicators (such as RQ or INHALATION HAZARD) must be removed, obliterated, or securely covered during transport. (This specific rule does not apply if the packaging is loaded by the shipper, unloaded by the shipper or consignee, and is not visible while transported inside a transport vehicle or freight container.)
2. Condition of the Packaging: The packaging must meet one of the following criteria:
- It is unused;
- It has been sufficiently cleaned of residue and purged of vapors to eliminate any potential hazard;
- It has been refilled with a non-hazardous material to the point that any remaining residue no longer poses a hazard; or
- It contains only the residue of a limited quantity material, or a Division 2.2 non-flammable gas (excluding anhydrous ammonia, with no subsidiary hazard, at a gauge pressure below 200 kPa / 29.0 psig at 20 °C / 68 °F).
3. Substances Excluded: The material inside the packaging must not meet the definitions of a hazardous substance, hazardous waste, or marine pollutant.