IMM Revision: References for Dangerous Goods

Effective July 7, 2014, the Postal Service™ will revise Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM^®) subchapter 130 and the index to update various references regarding the mailing of dangerous goods.

These revisions are due to recent updates to and a consolidation of content between the Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, Domestic Mail Manual (DMM^®), and Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail.

Additionally, we will make minor updates throughout the IMM to clarify mailability standards based on DMM and Publication 52 criteria.

Mailing Standards of the United States Postal Service, International Mail Manual (IMM)

1 International Mail Services

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130 Mailability

131 General

131.1 Domestic Limits

[Revise the second sentence to read as follows:]

***See Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail.

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135 Mailable Dangerous Goods

135.1 Infectious Substances

135.11 General Conditions

[Revise the first sentence, up to the colon, to read as follows:]

Infectious and noninfectious (nonregulated) biological substances are acceptable in international mail subject to the provisions of Publication 52, part 622 under the following conditions:***

[In item 135.11a, revise the second sentence to read as follows:]

a. ***Category A infectious substances as identified in Publication 52, item 346.12a are substances transported in a form capable of causing permanent disability or life-threatening or fatal disease in otherwise healthy humans or animals when exposure occurs.***

[In item 135.11b, revise the first sentence to read as follows:]

b. Category B infectious substances are mailable when they meet the definition in Publication 52, item 346.12a and are limited to 50 ml for liquids or 50 g for solids per mailpiece.***

[In item 135.11c, revise the first and last sentences to read as follows:]

c. Nonregulated (noninfectious) materials identified in Publication 52, section 346.234 as nonregulated are mailable.***Nonregulated materials are not subject to regulation as materials, but when presented for mailing, they must be properly packaged as indicated in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6G.

[Revise 135.11d to read as follows:]

d. Exempt human or animal specimens as defined in Publication 52, item 346.12d are mailable. They are not subject to regulation as materials, but when presented for mailing, they must be properly packaged as identified in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6H.

135.12 Type of Mail

[Revise 135.12 in its entirety to read as follows:]

Category B infectious substances must be sent only by First-Class Package International Service using Registered Mail service. Nonregulated materials defined in Publication 52, section 346.234 and exempt human or animal specimens defined in Publication 52, item 346.12d are mailable by First-Class Package International Service when properly packaged as described in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6G or 6H.

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135.3 Packaging, Marking, Labeling

135.31 Category B Infectious Substances

[Revise the first sentence to read as follows:]

A material that is classified as a Category B infectious substance and that meets the definition in Publication 52, item 346.12a, must be triple-packaged as described in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6C, must meet the packaging requirements in 49 CFR 173.199, and must be sent only by First-Class Package International Service using Registered Mail service.*** In addition:

[Revise 135.31a to read as follows:]

a. The secondary container must be marked with the international biohazard symbol shown in Publication 52, Exhibit 346.321.

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135.32 Nonregulated Materials (Noninfectious Biological Substances)

[Revise 135.32 to read as follows:]

Nonregulated materials are not subject to regulation as materials but when presented for mailing, they must be properly packaged, marked, and labeled as indicated in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6G.

135.33 Exempt Human or Animal Specimens

[Revise 135.33 to read as follows:]

Exempt human or animal specimens are not subject to regulation as materials but when presented for mailing, they must be properly packaged, marked, and labeled as indicated in Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 6H.

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135.5 Radioactive Materials

[Revise the introductory paragraph and item 135.5a to read as follows:]

Shipments containing radioactive materials are acceptable in international mail subject to the provisions of Publication 52, part 347 and under the following conditions:

a. Shipments may be sent only by First-Class Package International Service using Registered Mail service.

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136 Nonmailable Goods

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136.4 Cigarettes and Smokeless Tobacco

[Revise 136.4 to read as follows:]

Cigarettes (including roll-your-own tobacco) and smokeless tobacco products, as defined in Publication 52, part 471, are nonmailable when sent in outbound or inbound international mail. The exceptions for mailing under Publication 52, section 472.2 are not available for shipments of such products in international mail. This standard prevails regardless of any information to the contrary in the Individual Country Listings.

137 Firearms, Knives, and Sharp Instruments

[Revise the first sentence to read as follows:]

Some knives and sharp instruments (see Publication 52, subchapter 44, and part 633) may be mailed to certain countries under the conditions specified in the Individual Country Listings.***

138 Perishable Matter

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138.2 Plants

[Revise the first sentence to read as follows:]

Plants, seeds, and plant materials, including fruits and vegetables, are subject to the provisions of Publication 52, Chapter 5; Publication 14, Prohibitions and Restrictions on Mailing Animals, Plants, and Related Products; and the quarantine regulations of the country of destination.***

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139 Cremated Remains

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139.2 Packaging

[Add a new last sentence to read as follows:]

***Also see Publication 52, Packaging Instruction 9F.

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Index

[Revise the following entries to read as follows:]

Aerosol containers Publication 52, part 342

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Fictitious matter or name 132.1d; DMM 601.8.5