As the Postal Service™ approaches peak holiday season, it is important for employees to know which materials are restricted to ground transportation. While some hazardous materials (HAZMAT) are allowed for air transportation under specific conditions, there are legitimate reasons why some HAZMAT is prohibited from air transportation. Although some of our package volume is carried via cargo aircraft, which is generally less restrictive, a substantial amount is carried on passenger aircraft, which is far more restrictive.
Some of the issues that we have encountered are the attempted shipment of UN3090 lithium metal batteries, UN3480 lithium-ion batteries, and Limited Quantity ground materials using either Priority Mail® or First-Class Package Service®. These materials must only be sent via ground services in our networks as these products cannot be mailed using air-eligible services.
Label 127, No Fly/Surface Transportation Only and Label 876, HAZMAT Surface Only must never be provided to a customer for application or applied by a Retail office to a Priority Mail or First-Class Package Service shipment that contains materials ineligible for air transportation.
For more information, see section 327 of Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail. Marking these items properly ensures they stay out of our air transportation networks. Additionally, mislabeled items could cause delays and prevent packages from arriving at the intended destination in time for the holidays.
For more information about HAZMAT, visit
blue.usps.gov/aviationsecurity/hazardous_materials_program.htm. For questions or comments, send an email to HAZMAT@uspis.gov.
Thank you for your continued efforts to keep the mail safe.
Note: These labels are for internal use only and must never be provided to customers.
— U.S. Postal Inspection Service, 11-17-22
