Effective October 5, 2007, we revised the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM®) section 601.10.20 for mailing lithium and lithium-ion batteries. The new standards identify all small consumer-type lithium batteries as mailable when properly packaged and labeled.
We now accept lithium batteries and battery-powered devices for mailing in a manner similar to that of commercial shippers within the guidelines of the Department of Transportation and the International Air Transportation Association regulations.
Many popular consumer products now contain lithium batteries. Consumer devices such as personal digital assistants, cameras, flashlights, laptop computers, cell phones, hand-held electronic games, and portable media players such as iPods and MP3 players all contain lithium batteries. These items are now mailable when properly packaged and labeled as identified in the DMM section 601.10.20.
Lithium batteries, other than small consumer-type batteries, remain nonmailable.
Additionally, DMM section 601.11.17 has been revised to allow batteries to be mailed when properly installed in equipment or devices. Equipment or devices containing batteries must include an effective means of preventing accidental activation.
We will incorporate these changes into our October update of DMM subchapter 601 as noted below.
Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM)
* * * * *
600 Basic Standards for All Mailing Services
601 Mailability
* * * * *
10.0 Hazardous Materials
* * * * *
10.20 Miscellaneous Hazardous Materials (Hazard Class 9)
* * * * *
10.20.5 Primary Lithium (Non-Rechargeable) Cells and Batteries
[Revise 10.20.5 to read as follows:]
Small consumer-type primary lithium cells or batteries (lithium metal or lithium alloy) like those used to power cameras and flashlights are mailable with the following restrictions. Each cell must contain no more than 1.0 gram (g) of lithium content per cell. Each battery must contain no more than 2.0 g aggregate lithium content per battery. Additionally, each cell or battery must meet the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, Part III, and subsection 38.3 as referenced in DOT’s hazardous materials regulation at 49 CFR 171.7. All primary lithium cells and batteries must be mailed within a firmly sealed package separated and cushioned to prevent short circuit, movement, or damage. Except for batteries installed in equipment, they must be in a strong outer package. All outer packages must have a complete delivery and return address. Primary lithium cells and batteries are mailable as follows:
a. Via surface transportation when the cells or batteries (not packed with or installed in equipment) are “in the originally sealed packaging.” They are forbidden aboard passenger aircraft. The outside of the package must be marked on the address side “Surface Mail Only, Primary Lithium Batteries — Forbidden for Transportation Aboard Passenger Aircraft.” The mailpiece must not exceed 5 pounds.
b. Via surface or air transportation when the cells or batteries are properly packed with or properly installed in the equipment they operate and the mailpiece has no more than the number of batteries needed to operate the device. Cells or batteries properly installed in the device they operate must be protected from damage and short circuit, and the device must be equipped with an effective means of preventing accidental activation. The outside of the package must be marked on the address side “Package Contains Primary Lithium Batteries.” The mailpiece must not exceed 11 pounds.
10.20.6 Secondary Lithium-ion (Rechargeable) Cells and Batteries
[Revise 10.20.6 to read as follows:]
Small consumer-type lithium-ion cells and batteries like those used to power cell phones and laptop computers are mailable with the following restrictions. Each cell must contain no more than 1.5 g of equivalent lithium content per cell. Each battery must contain no more than 8.0 g aggregate quantity of equivalent lithium content per battery. Additionally, each cell or battery must meet the requirements of each test in the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, part III, and subsection 38.3 as referenced in the DOT’s hazardous materials regulation at 49 CFR 171.7. All secondary lithium-ion cells and batteries must be mailed in a firmly sealed package separated and cushioned to prevent short circuit, movement, or damage. Except for batteries installed in equipment, they must be in a strong outer package. All outer packages must have a complete delivery and return address. These cells and batteries are mailable as follows:
a. Via surface or air transportation when individual cells or batteries are mailed or when properly packed with or properly installed in the equipment they operate. Cells or batteries properly installed in the device they operate must be protected from damage and short circuit, and the device must be equipped with an effective means of preventing accidental activation. The outside of the package must be marked on the address side “Package Contains Lithium-ion Batteries (no lithium metal).”
b. The mailpiece must not contain more than 3 batteries.
10.20.7 Damaged or Recalled Batteries
[Revise 10.20.7 to read as follows:]
Damaged or recalled batteries are prohibited from mailing unless approved by the manager, Mailing Standards.
Exhibit 10.20.7 Lithium Battery Mailability Chart
[Revise Exhibit 10.20.7 as follows:]
Note 1: Each primary cell must not contain more than 1 g lithium content.
Note 2: Each primary battery must not contain more than 2 g lithium content.
Note 3: Each secondary cell must not contain more than 1.5 g equivalent lithium content.
Note 4: Each secondary battery must not contain more than 8 g equivalent lithium content.
Note 5: For secondary batteries (lithium-ion) there is a limit of 3 batteries per mailpiece.
* * * * *
11.0 Other Restricted and Nonmailable Matter
* * * * *
11.17 Battery-Powered Devices
[Revise the first sentence in 11.17 to read as follows:]
Cells or batteries properly installed in equipment must be protected from damage and short circuit, and equipment or devices containing cells or batteries must include an effective means of preventing accidental activation.***
* * * * *
We will incorporate this revision into the October update of the online DMM on Postal Explorer® at http://pe.usps.com and into the next printed edition.
— Mailing Standards,
Pricing and Classification, 10-25-07
