Photo by Jihan Colletta
When you think of the United Nations (UN), you probably think of summits, sanctions and big meetings regulating what goes on in the world. But did you know the UN also provides standards for the transportation of hazardous materials and dangerous goods?
The UN has created a worldwide system of labeling called UN packaging codes. These multi-part codes can be tricky to decipher at first, but reading them comes easier when you can understand and break down each individual section.
UN packaging codes are strings of letters and numbers located on hazardous materials packaging that provide information on several key aspects of the chemicals inside. Their purpose is twofold:
When it comes to UN packaging ratings, compliance is huge. Ignoring packaging standards or the UN rating process comes with astronomical fines for the offending company. This is why, for accuracy, every hazardous material must go through mandatory package requirements testing through a third party company.
Producers of hazardous materials must send a sample of the packaging and the chemical inside. Both are then put through a series of standardized tests. There are several different tests depending on the chemical and package design, but the following are standard:
After testing, you will receive a certification of test results to use to create your UN packaging code. You should always keep this certification on hand in the event there is an issue with your packaging.
There are nine potential sections to each UN packaging code. Here is a breakdown of each section and what the symbols within that section of the code are meant to indicate.
This symbol indicates that the packaging has gone through the appropriate tests outlined above and passed each one. It can be listed as an uppercase UN or a U vertically over an N. Either way, the UN is enclosed in a circle.
This one can get tricky! Start by using this guide to break down the letters and numbers you see.
You may see any one of three different letter-number combinations to indicate the packaging identification code:
This section can get complicated. It takes time, practice and a dash of memorization to be able to decipher. Flashcards always help!
Another tricky one! But this one starts off easy to remember. This section will have one of the letters X, Y or Z. These letters indicate varying degrees of danger for the hazardous chemical within the packaging.
Here’s a bit of twist: Packaging that has been tested and approved for higher degrees of danger can also house materials with a lower degree of danger. So a package that can hold extremely hazardous explosives can also hold mild household bleach, but a package that has only been tested for the household bleach is not able to hold the hazardous explosives. Make sense?
Think of it this way:
This is a measurement of the maximum weight of the package once the chemical is safely inside of it. The measurement you use depends on the type of chemical within the package.
Solids like powders, pills, capsules and tablets are measured in gross mass, which is written in kilogram units. This number indicates the maximum gross mass of a composite or single package plus its contents.
Liquids are measured in specific gravity. On liquid packaging, this number will indicate the maximum specific gravity allowable for that packaging.
The next part of the code depends on the nature of the material in the package as well as the package itself. Solid materials and packages that have an inner receptacle will simply need to put a capital “S” here.
Liquid materials will need to indicate the results of their hydrostatic pressure testing in this space. This is measured in kilo-Pascals (kPa) rounded down to the nearest 10. It shows how much pressure the liquid’s packaging was able to withstand before breaking during testing.
Now we get to the easy part! The next number is the last two digits of the material’s year of manufacture. For example, 18 means it was made in 2018.
This is the code of the country where the material was produced. For example, USA indicates the United States of America and CAN means Canada.
Finally, the certification mark. This identifies the entity certifying that the packaging has met all the required testing mentioned above (probably you!). This can be shown in several different forms:
Note that any symbols or codes used must be registered with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) in order to be valid.
We hope this guide serves as a resource to anyone interested in obtaining their own UN packaging code or simply being able to read UN packaging codes alongside the professionals. These codes are critical to the safety of all parties involved in producing, shipping and using hazardous materials.
Still a little unsure on UN packaging codes? Interpreting them and creating your own can be tricky! Let Royal Chemical double check your work. Contact us here.