Effective May 16, 2012, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM®) part 136 to codify that primary lithium metal or lithium alloy (nonrechargeable) cells and batteries or secondary lithium-ion cells and batteries (rechargeable) are prohibited when mailed internationally or to and from an APO, FPO, or DPO location.
International standards have recently been the subject of discussion by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the Universal Postal Union (UPU), and the Postal Service anticipates that on January 1, 2013, customers will be able to mail specific quantities of lithium batteries internationally (including to and from an APO, FPO, or DPO location) when the batteries are properly installed in the personal electronic devices they are intended to operate.
Until such time that a less restrictive policy can be implemented consistent with international standards, and in accordance with UPU Convention, lithium batteries are not permitted in international mail. The UPU Convention and regulations are consistent with the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Technical Instructions). The Technical Instructions concerning the Transport of Dangerous Goods by Post do not permit in international mail “dangerous goods” as defined by the ICAO Technical Instructions. Currently, the only exceptions to this general prohibition relate to certain medical materials, infectious substances, and radioactive materials that are treated in accordance with additional requirements listed in the Technical Instructions. Lithium metal or lithium alloy batteries and lithium-ion cells are listed in the Technical Instructions as Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods. The prohibition on mailing lithium batteries and cells internationally also applies to mail sent by commercial air transportation to and from an APO, FPO, or DPO location.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)
1 International Mail Services
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130 Mailability
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136 Nonmailable Goods
136.1 Dangerous Goods
[Revise the introduction to 136.1 and insert a new item i and a new closing paragraph to read as follows:]
Except as provided in IMM 135, “dangerous goods” as defined by the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Model Regulations, are prohibited in outbound international mail, regardless of mail class. Some examples of dangerous goods include the following:
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i. Primary lithium metal or lithium alloy (non-rechargeable) cells and batteries, or secondary lithium-ion cells and batteries (rechargeable), regardless of quantity, size, or watt hours, and regardless of whether the cells or batteries are packed in the equipment they are intended to operate, with the equipment they are intended to operate, or without equipment (individual batteries). This standard applies to all APO, FPO, or DPO locations.
Additional information on dangerous goods is available at www.unece.org/trans/danger/danger.html.
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We will incorporate this revision into the next monthly update of the online version of the IMM, which is available via Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com.
— Product Classification,
Pricing, 5-3-12
