The latest updated version of the European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR 2017) came into force on 1st January 2017. There is a 6 month transitional period during which ADR 2015 can continue to be followed up until 30th June 2017.
The UNECE has made ADR 2017 available in English, French and Russian on their website: https://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr2017/17contentse0.html
A non-exhaustive list of significant changes brought in by ADR 2017 is given below:
Polymerizing Substances
Polymerizing substances have been added to Class 4.1. These are substances that, without stabilisation, are liable to undergo a strongly exothermic reaction to form larger molecules or polymers under the conditions normally encountered during carriage. Substances that are not classified into Classes 1-8 are classified as polymerizing substances if their Self-Accelerating Polymerisation Temperature (SAPT) is 75°C or less, when measured under the conditions and in the packaging, IBC or tank in which they are to be carried, and their heat of reaction is more than 300 J/g.
Polymerizing substances are split into two types depending on whether temperature control is required or not. Temperature control is required if the polymerizing substance has a SAPT of 50°C or less (if offered for carriage in a package or IBC) or 40°C or less (if offered for carriage in a tank).
The new UN numbers for polymerizing substances are set out below:
Not requiring temperature control:
- UN 3531 POLYMERIZING SUBSTANCE, SOLID, STABILIZED, N.O.S. (4.1), PG III
- UN 3532 POLYMERIZING SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, STABILIZED, N.O.S. (4.1), PG III
Requiring temperature control:
- UN 3533 POLYMERIZING SUBSTANCE, SOLID, TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED, N.O.S. (4.1), PG III
- UN 3534 POLYMERIZING SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, TEMPERATURE CONTROLLED, N.O.S. (4.1), PG III
New UN numbers
In addition to the new UN numbers for polymerizing substances, the following new UN numbers have been introduced in ADR 2017:
- UN 0510 ROCKET MOTORS (Division 1.4C)
- UN 3527 POLYESTER RESIN KIT, solid base material (Class 4.1, PG II or III)
- UN 3528 ENGINE, INTERNAL COMBUSTION, FLAMMABLE LIQUID POWERED or ENGINE, FUEL CELL, FLAMMABLE LIQUID POWERED or MACHINERY, INTERNAL COMBUSTION, FLAMMABLE LIQUID POWERED or MACHINERY, FUEL CELL, FLAMMABLE LIQUID POWERED (Class 3), for engines and machinery containing flammable liquid fuels of Class 3.
- UN 3529 ENGINE, INTERNAL COMBUSTION, FLAMMABLE GAS POWERED or ENGINE, FUEL CELL, FLAMMABLE GAS POWERED or MACHINERY, INTERNAL COMBUSTION, FLAMMABLE GAS POWERED or MACHINERY, FUEL CELL, FLAMMABLE GAS POWERED (Class 2), for engines and machinery containing flammable gaseous fuels of Class 2. Engines and machinery powered by both Class 3 flammable liquid and Class 2 flammable gaseous fuels should also be assigned this UN number.
- UN 3530 ENGINE, INTERNAL COMBUSTION or MACHINERY, INTERNAL COMBUSTION (Class 9), for engines and machinery containing fuels classified as environmentally hazardous and not meeting the criteria for any other class]
Lithium battery mark and No.9A label
ADR 2017 introduces a new lithium battery mark for lithium cells and lithium batteries (UN 3090, UN 3091, UN 3480, and UN 3481) that meet the requirements of special provision 188:
* Place for UN number(s)
** Place for telephone number for additional information
There is a transitional period up until 31st December 2018 during which the requirements of SP 188 set out in ADR 2015 may still be followed.
Packages containing lithium batteries that do not meet the requirements of SP 188 must carry the new No. 9A label below:
Again, there is a transitional period up until 31st December 2018 during which packages may continue to be labelled with the No. 9 label, as required by ADR 2015.
Instructions in Writing
ADR 2017 amends the Instructions in Writing to include polymerizing substances under Class 4.1, and the new Class 9A danger label for lithium batteries. The amended Instructions in Writing are applicable from 1st January 2017, although there is a transition period until 30th June 2017 during which the previous version of the Instructions in Writing may continue to be used.
The UNECE has published English, French, Russian, Danish, Latvian, Norwegian and Swedish versions of the amended Instructions in Writing on their website:
http://www.unece.org/trans/danger/publi/adr/adr_linguistic_e.html
Carriage of environmentally hazardous viscous liquids
ADR 2017 now permits viscous flammable liquids that meet the criteria set out in ADR 2.2.3.1.5.1 that are also classified as environmentally hazardous to be transported without further application of ADR. This is provided that they are transported in single or combination packagings with a net quantity per single or inner packaging of 5 litres or less. The general provisions on packaging (ADR 4.1.1.1, 4.1.1.2, and 4.1.1.4 – 4.1.1.8) still apply.
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