Transportation Department, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
This final rule removes undue regulatory burdens by adopting the provisions of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) special permit (SP) 21478 to allow empty intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) that only contain the residue of a hazardous material to be transported without shipping papers, placards, and United Nations (UN) identification (ID) numbers.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 49 CFR Parts 172 and 173 [Docket No. PHMSA-2025-0104 (HM-268P)] RIN 2137-AG18 AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Department of Transportation (DOT) ( printed page 49336) ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: This final rule removes undue regulatory burdens by adopting the provisions of U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) special permit (SP) 21478 to allow empty intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) that only contain the residue of a hazardous material to be transported without shipping papers, placards, and United Nations (UN) identification (ID) numbers. DATES: This final rule is effective September 3, 2026. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Noah Jacobson, Standards and Rulemaking Division, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-8553, noah.jacobson@dot.gov . I. PHMSA Action A. What action is PHMSA taking in this final rule? PHMSA is adopting the provisions of DOT SP 21478 into the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR: 49 CFR parts 171-180 ) by revising 49 CFR 173.29 to add a new subparagraph (d) that authorizes the transportation of “empty” IBCs only containing a residue of a hazardous material in a manner similar to what is already allowed for empty non-bulk packaging in 49 CFR 173.29(c) . PHMSA is also making conforming revisions to 49 CFR 172.331 , 172.504 , and 172.51…
Other Federal Register documents from the same docket.
Citation: 91 FR 49335
