HR 658 Transporting Lithium Batteries in the United States

Lithium Batteries
Ever since January 11, 2010, when Hazardous Materials docket HM-224F was published concerning Lithium batteries, the entire global shipping and transportation industry was very concerned that the ability to send lithium batteries via air transport was going to be severely restricted in the United States.
In January 2010, the DOT proposed to remove exceptions for small lithium batteries (Section II of the Lithium Battery packing instruction numbers of the IATA/ICAO Regulations), effectively making them fully regulated Class 9 hazardous materials like their medium and large-sized counterparts.

Change of Direction
Approval today, April 5, 2011, by the U.S. House of Representatives of HR 658, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Reauthorization and Reform Act, which includes a provision directing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), to ensure that its regulations governing the air transport of lithium ion or lithium metal batteries and products that contain or are packed with these batteries are no more stringent than international requirements in place at any time. The one exception allowed is the continuance of the U.S. prohibition of air shipment of lithium metal cells and batteries on passenger aircraft.

The House approved HR 658 by a vote of 223-196 and will have to reconcile it with a Senate-passed bill that does not include any provisions pertaining to lithium batteries. The battery provision, offered by Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chairman John Mica (R-FL), was approved by a bipartisan vote of 251-168.

Chairman Mica's harmonization amendment directs DOT to not issue or enforce any regulations regarding the air transportation of lithium metal cells or batteries, or lithium ion cells or batteries, or products that use them, that are more stringent than requirements pertaining to lithium batteries in the 2011-2012 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air or any future amendments to those instructions.
Although this Approval is not a Final Rule yet in the transportation regulations of the USA, it gives the transportation industry and shippers of Lithium Batteries the insight necessary for them to make business decisions on the future ability to transport lithium batteries by air in the United States.

Increased regulations expected for lithium batteries after UPS cargo plane crash in Dubai

The Wall Street Journal reports a United Parcel Service (UPS) cargo plane crashed in Dubai earlier this month, after an apparent cargo fire involving lithium batteries resulted onboard. This urged federal officials to tighten the restrictions on the transportation of lithium batteries even further.

Lithium batteries are used in a variety of electronic devices, ranging from cell phones to camcorders to laptops, cordless devices and more. The increased restrictions would affect most U.S. cargo carriers and could battery manufacturers and distributors to change the way they package and document shipments of lithium batteries.

Both pilots of the plane died in the crash, which prompted officials to revisit the debate over the fire hazards of lithium batteries. These batteries can burn intensely and can be extremely difficult to extinguish once on fire.

To read the full article, please visit the Wall Street Journal's website.

Shipping batteries under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) Regulations, Canada

Transport Canada recently released a bulletin in July 2010 regarding the transportation of batteries under the TDG. This bulletin includes general information, classification, requirements for shipping, cross-border shipments from the United States, upcoming changes and more.

It's important to note that not all batteries are subject to regulations of the TDG. For example, common household-type alkaline, nickel, cadmium (NiCad), nickel metal hydride (NiMH), and silver-zinc batteries are not classified as dangerous goods. Some small lithium batteries, depending on the amount of lithium they contain, may also be exempt from the TDG regulations.

The regulations do require dangerous goods to have a shipping document that includes information outlined in section 3.5 of the TDG.

For the complete bulletin, please visit Transport Canada's website.

Batteries blamed for explosion at San Diego, CA FedEx warehouse

San Diego fire spokesman reported that two batteries in a box made contact and exploded around 6:00AM PST on Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at a FedEx warehouse.

For the full story, visit http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hp1X44kxm29_L0wLpbyEoZwOLpKQD9F2V0980