Factsheet 69 – May 2008

Dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational use

Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005 (the 'Dangerous Goods Rule') sets out the legal requirements for transporting dangerous goods safely. The Rule applies to all people who transport dangerous goods, but how it affects you will depend on:

• the type of dangerous goods
• how much you're transporting
• whether you're transporting the dangerous goods for your own domestic or recreational use, or for a business purpose.

This factsheet applies to people who carry dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use.

• If you transport dangerous goods as tools-of-trade, for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, but not for hire or direct reward, read Factsheet 68 Dangerous goods transported as tools-of-trade.
• If you're a licensed transport service operator or if you transport dangerous goods for direct reward, read Factsheet 67 Dangerous goods carried by transport service operators or for direct reward.

These factsheets provide an overview only - you must refer directly to the Dangerous Goods Rule for details, especially if you're transporting large quantities of dangerous goods. (Printed copies of the Rule are available from bookshops that sell legislation and some libraries.)

What are dangerous goods?

The following items are commonly available and are classified as dangerous goods:

• ammunition and fireworks
• aerosol canisters
• LPG cylinders
• compressed air cylinders for scuba diving
• flammable liquids such as petrol, kerosene, methylated spirits, turpentine, solvent based paints and perfume
• some swimming pool chemicals
• some household cleaning products such as dishwasher detergents
• some garden care products.

Recognising dangerous goods

Packages containing dangerous goods must be marked or labelled to identify their hazardous properties. This is to warn everyone who handles or transports the goods, or finds the goods in an emergency situation.

For transport, dangerous goods are identified with a diamond-shaped class warning label, a United Nations number and a 'proper shipping name'.

• The diamond warning label gives a pictorial representation of the danger - such as a flame for flammable substances or skull and cross bones for toxic (poisonous) substances. The class number of the dangerous goods is printed in the bottom corner of the label.
• The United Nations number is a four-digit number preceded by the capital letters UN. For example, the UN number for petrol is UN 1203.
• The proper shipping name is usually of a chemical or technical nature and is often written in capital letters (eg LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GASES or PETROL).

Dangerous goods packaged for retail sale don't always have the diamond label on the package, but are marked with warning information to identify the hazards they present.

Transporting small quantities of dangerous goods

If you carry dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use, but not for hire or direct reward, and the quantity is within the limits in Schedule 1 of the Dangerous Goods Rule (see table 2), then you are responsible for:

• making sure the goods are properly packaged and identified
• segregating incompatible dangerous goods
• securing the load on your vehicle.

Packaging and identification

Packaging must not contaminate or react with the goods, and must be strong enough to transport the goods safely and without leaking under normal conditions.

When you buy dangerous goods, they are contained in packaging that meets the requirements for transport, and are marked or labelled to identify the danger of the goods.

There are, however, two common situations when you supply the container for dangerous goods. They are:

• when you fill a container of your own with petrol (this doesn't include filling your vehicle's petrol tank), or
• when you have a portable LPG cylinder refilled.

In these circumstances, both you and the person selling the goods have a responsibility to ensure the container meets the requirements of the Rule and, in the case of the LPG cylinder, has passed a test inspection within the last 10 years.

Your container must show that it contains dangerous goods. You need the United Nations number, proper shipping name and class of dangerous goods. If your container does not have a diamond-shaped warning label to identify the class of dangerous goods, write the class number on it, together with the UN number and proper shipping name. For example:

• The identification for petrol is UN 1203, PETROL, Class 3.
• The identification for LPG is UN 1075, LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES, Class 2.1.

This can be written clearly on the container or on a tag attached to the container. You could also ask the person selling the goods for a class warning label to identify the danger.

Alternatively, the labels or markings required by any other law (eg the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996), which clearly identify the contents of the package, are also acceptable.

Segregate dangerous goods

To prevent serious reactions between different dangerous goods, they should be kept apart from each other. Small quantities of goods, such as aerosols (Class 2.1 or 2.2), flammable liquids (Class 3), toxic substances (Class 6.1) and corrosive substances (Class 8) can be carried together.

Explosives (Class 1), oxidising substances (Class 5.1) and organic peroxides (Class 5.2) should be kept apart as much as possible, and preferably not be carried together in the same vehicle or with other dangerous goods. Class 6 or Class 8 substances should also be kept apart from food items, to prevent the food being contaminated.

Secure your load

All loads must be carried securely, so they don't fall from the vehicle or cause any harm to people, property or the environment. This is especially important with dangerous goods. If the packages are damaged they could either spill (and put people, property or the environment in danger) or react dangerously with other goods.

Transporting large quantities of dangerous goods

• Table 1 (below) shows which sections of the Dangerous Goods Rule you must read.
• Table 2 shows the maximum amount of different dangerous goods that you can transport for domestic or recreational use before you must comply with more requirements of the Dangerous Goods Rule. (These include additional requirements for packaging, labelling and marking, segregation, and transport procedures.)

Table 1: Guide to sections of the Rule (for dangerous goods both within and above the limit in table 2)

Nature and quantity	Packaging	Labelling and marking	Documents	Segregation	Placards	Transport procedures	Training
DGLQ¹ and Con Coms² and other dangerous goods within the limit in table 2	GSR³ Section 3.1	Section 4.4(1)(a), 4.4(2)	Not required 5.3(1)(a)	GSR³ Section 6.1(1)	Not required 7.4(1)	GSR³ Section 8.1(1)	Not required
Above the limit in table 2	Section 3	Section 4	Not required 5.3(1)(a)	Section 6	Not required 7.4(1)	Section 8	Not required

¹ DGLQ: Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities. These are dangerous goods packaged in small quantities as specified in Schedule 2 (but excluding goods in Schedule 2A), and complying with the requirements in Clause 2.3.

² Con Coms: Consumer Commodities. These are DGLQ packaged for retail sale for personal care, recreational or domestic use.

³ GSR: General Safety Requirements. These are set out at the beginning of each section of the Rule.

Table 2: Quantity limits – Copy of Schedule 1 from Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005

Schedule 1: Quantity limits for dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational purposes, for use as tools-of-trade, for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, but not transported for hire or direct reward.
Class or division	Class or division name	Packing group†	Maximum quantity*
1	Explosives (except UN 0012, CARTRIDGES, SMALL ARMS)	—	50 kg subject to other New Zealand legislation
1.4S	UN 0012 CARTRIDGES, SMALL ARMS	—	250 kg
2.1	Flammable gases	—	250 litres water capacity
2.2	Non-flammable, non toxic gases; cryogenic liquids (except UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID)	—	25 litres water capacity
	UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID	—	100 litres water capacity
	Non-flammable, non toxic gases (except cryogenic liquids)	—	250 litres water capacity
2.3	Toxic gases (except those listed below)	—	50 litres water capacity
	UN 1026, CYANOGEN; UN 1067, NITROGEN DIOXIDE; UN 1076, PHOSGENE; UN 1589, CYANOGEN CHLORIDE, STABILIZED	—	1 litre water capacity
3	Flammable liquids	I	5 litres
		II or III	250 litres
4.1	Flammable solids	I	5 kg
		II	50 kg
		III	250 kg
4.2	Spontaneously combustible substances	I	No quantity permitted
	Spontaneously combustible substances (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	II or III	50 kg
4.3	Dangerous when wet	I	No quantity permitted
	Dangerous when wet (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	II or III	50 kg
5.1	Oxidizing substances	I	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
5.2	Organic peroxides Type B (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	—	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
	Organic peroxides Type C, D, E or F (As hardener for an organic resin or packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities)	—	10 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 10 litres (liquids)
6.1	Toxic substances	I	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
6.2	Infectious substances (except portable toilet effluent, septic tank wastes and sewage screening sludge)	—	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
	Portable toilet effluent, septic tank wastes and sewage screening sludge	—	250 litres or two portable toilets, whichever is the greater quantity
7	Radioactive material	—	As permitted by Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material of the International Atomic Energy Agency or the requirements of the relevant regulatory authority
8	Corrosive substances (except batteries listed below)	I	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
	UN 2794, BATTERIES, WET, FILLED WITH ACID, electric storage UN 2795, BATTERIES, WET, FILLED WITH ALKALI, electric storage UN 2800, BATTERIES, WET, NON-SPILLABLE, electric storage	—	250 litres (measured by the volume of the battery case)
	UN 3028, BATTERIES, DRY, CONTAINING POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE SOLID, electric storage	—	250 kg
9	Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles	I	5 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250 kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
Mixed loads	The maximum quantity for a mixed load is an aggregate amount of 500, using the following units: kilograms (solids, powders, etc including the weight of the packaging), litres (liquids), litres water capacity (gases). The maximum quantity for a mixed load is exceeded if the quantity for any class or division in the load exceeds the limit specified for that class or division.
* Quantities specified as weights include the weight of the packaging. † Packing group means one of three groups into which dangerous goods of Class or Division 3, 4, 5.1, 6.1, 8 and 9 are divided for packaging purposes according to their degree of danger, and that are ranked in a decreasing order of danger: Packing Group 'I' (high danger), Packing Group 'II' (medium danger) and Packing Group 'III' (low danger).

Where you can find out more

• Refer to Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005. (You can get printed copies from bookshops that sell legislation and some libraries.)
• Contact NZ Transport Agency:
  • Email us: info@nzta.govt.nz.
  • Phone our contact centre: 0800 699 000.
  • Write to us: NZ Transport Agency, Private Bag 6995, Wellington 6141.