Postal Explorer > Publication 52 - Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail > 2 General Guidelines

2 General Guidelines

21 Mailability

211 General

Under 18 USC 1716, all matter that is outwardly or of its own force dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property is nonmailable. The knowing deposit of such matter in the mail is a crime punishable by fine, imprisonment, and/or other penalty.

For reasons of safety, most hazardous materials are nonmailable. However, some hazardous materials and otherwise restricted matter, or perishable matter are permitted to be mailed when the requirements in DMM 601.8-601.11 and the supplemental criteria in this publication are fully met.

DMM 601.10 and Chapter 3, Appendix A, and Appendix C of this publication provide detailed information about hazardous materials that are permitted to be mailed and the conditions that apply.

DMM 601.11 and 601.9 and Chapters 4 and 5 of this publication provide information about restricted matter and perishable matter that either is nonmailable or that may be mailable under specified conditions, as applicable.

Chapter 6 specifies the mailing conditions that apply to hazardous materials, restricted matter, and perishable matter in international mail, including hazardous materials for delivery to overseas military post office (APO/FPO) addresses.

Chapter 7 contains information regarding mailability of hazardous materials, restricted matter, and perishable matter in domestic mail via air transportation.

212 Mailer Responsibility

Mailer must comply with applicable Postal Service laws and regulations governing mailability and preparation for mailing, as well as nonpostal laws and regulations on the shipment of particular matter (see DMM 601.8).

The Postal Service disseminates information about mailing standards by publishing the DMM and IMM and by providing this and other publications that give additional guidance to mailers.

Mailers need to be aware of aware of current or new regulations adopted by the Postal Service and other governmental agencies.

213 Authority

Under DMM 601.8, postmasters have the authority to determine the mailability of restricted articles and substances. A postmaster who has determined an article or substance to be nonmailable has the authority to refuse the item from mailing. Postmasters may consult with the Pricing and Classification Service Center (PCSC) in making these determinations. See DMM 608.8.4 for the PCSC address and telephone number.

214 Appeals

The rights of mailers to seek review of adverse mailability decisions involving restricted articles and substances is stated in DMM 601.8.

A mailer who receives an adverse decision from a postmaster may file a written appeal with the PCSC, which issues the final agency decision. When an initial ruling is issued by the PCSC, the mailer may appeal to the manager, Mailing Standards, USPS Headquarters, Washington, DC, who has the authority to render a final decision on the appeal. See DMM 608.8.1 for the Mailing Standards mailing address.

A mailer may file a written appeal of a final Postal Service agency decision with the USPS Recorder, Judicial Officer, under the rules of procedure in 39 CFR 953. See DMM 608.1.1 for the mailing address.

215 Requests for Rulings

215.1 General

Mailability decisions are based on Postal Service statutes and regulations in effect at the time the ruling is issued. Over time, some rulings may become obsolete or require modification to conform to changes in applicable laws and regulations. When rulings are issued, the requirements of other governmental agencies (e.g., U.S. Department of Transportation, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) may be taken into consideration to the extent that they are consistent with Postal Service policy and authority.

Requests for rulings must contain specific items of critical information appropriate to the category of the material, as noted in 215.2 and 215.3 and DMM 601.10.6.

215.2 Hazardous Materials

Acceptability for mailing hazardous materials depends on many factors, such as the container fluid/vapor capacities, the ability of the complete mailpiece to contain the material, and the method of absorbing and containing the material in case of accidental leakage of the primary receptacle.

To determine mailability of a specific material, a mailer must submit a material safety data sheet (MSDS) (see Appendix D) and the following information to the PCSC:

a. Common and proper shipping name of the material, hazard class, and the assigned United Nations (UN) or North American (NA) identification number.

b. Chemical composition by percentage of weight.

c. Flashpoint.

d. Toxic properties.

e. Irritant action when inhaled, swallowed, or with contact to skin or eyes.

f. Special precautions necessary to permit handling without harm to USPS employees or damage to property or other mail.

g. Explanation of warning labels and shipping papers required by local, state, or federal regulations.

h. Description of the proposed packaging method, including the addressing, required markings, and documentation.

i. Volume of material per mailpiece, proposed number of pieces to be mailed, class of mail, and post office(s) of mailing.

The hazards present with chemicals and other types of hazardous materials may not be readily apparent. Materials classified under one hazard class can present additional or subsidiary hazards more commonly associated with a different hazard class. For example, swimming pool chemicals may cause fires or release poisonous fumes or be corrosive or poisonous. Therefore, it is essential when determining mailability to correctly identify the material based on the mailer-supplied documentation (i.e., the MSDS and other information) and never to assume a general designation using unsubstantiated information.

215.3 Restricted Matter or Perishable Matter

To obtain a ruling on the mailability of restricted or perishable matter, a mailer should provide the mailing office with following:

a. Detailed description of the restricted or perishable matter.

b. Special precautions necessary to permit handling without harm to Postal Service employees or damage to property.

c. Proposed method of packaging.

d. Explanation of any local, state, or federal regulations that apply to shipping such matter.

e. Quantity per mailpiece and per mailing, frequency of mailing, and post office(s) of mailing.

When information about restricted or perishable matter is insufficient to make a mailability determination, or when there is doubt about the mailability of a particular item, contact the PCSC.

216 Nonmailable Matter Found in the Mail

Specific items, such as firearms, switchblade knives, controlled substances, motor vehicle master keys, and explosive or incendiary devices, generally are prohibited for mailing under DMM 601.8-601.11. When these types of nonmailable items are found in the mailstream, they must be handled in accordance with POM 139.117.

Other materials found in the mail that are believed to be nonmailable must be treated under the applicable conditions in DMM 601.8, POM 139.117-118, ASM 223.4, and Management Instruction (MI) DM-601-05-1, Hazardous Materials Acceptance and Handling.