April 26, 2007

New Standards for Hazardous and Restricted Materials

We published two notices for comment in yesterday’s Federal Register, proposing new standards for mailing lithium batteries [TXT] | [PDF] and for mailing sharps and other regulated medical waste [TXT] | [PDF]. The new standards would allow mailers to send all small consumer-type lithium batteries when properly labeled and packaged, and would increase the allowable weight of medical waste mail-back containers, while requiring additional packaging safeguards. Both proposals ensure safe, easy, and cost-effective mailing options for these materials.