SWIM
National Hazard
Posts: 970
Registered: 3-9-2017
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Shipping Azides and Cyanides in the United States.
I've been trying to figure out the US regulations for various hazardous materials, and as far as I can tell, you need some sort of special training
and certification to ship things like Sodium Azide or Sodium Cyanide.
Well I wound up with both.
They came along with other things in lots of assorted chemicals.
Now it looks like I can't send this stuff to anybody else in a legal way unless I actually carry it to them.
Am I missing something here?
I thought there was some loophole for quantities under 30 grams, but If there is one, I have yet to find it
I'm not about to violate federal regulations.
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Dr.Bob
International Hazard
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Registered: 26-1-2011
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The 30 gram amount is for compounds with limited hazards. For most azides (many are explosives under DOT rules) and cyanides (poisons) the rules are
much tighter. NO hazardous chemicals can be shipped by USPS, but some can be shipped by FedEx or UPS but only if packed under DOT trained and
certified shipping company.
There are some people on this forum who handle explosives, mostly in the energetics materials section, who might be able to take this off your hands.
The cyanide could be offered to someone with chemical experience, a university, or just destroyed with bleach. Trying to ship it without the right
paperwork could have lots of problems. Shippers get suspicious of any powder shipped now, and might think it is drugs, anthrax, or who knows what.
Packages get damaged all of the time, and if it spills a chemical, you can go to jail or be held liable for the cleanup. I say this as the recipient
of (non-hazardous) chemicals that were spilled in transit, but were correctly labelled and shipped correctly, so not much grief, but still some. I
don't want to know how bad if they were toxic...
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SWIM
National Hazard
Posts: 970
Registered: 3-9-2017
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Thanks for clearing that up.
I do have experience with such materials so using them myself or disposing of them is no problem.
I just didn't know crap about the shipping requirements.
I also Didn't realize the recipient could get in trouble as well.
I guess I won't be buying any more mercuric chloride from out of state antique dealers.
Those guys sure aren't following any regulations. They don't even label the stuff.
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Dr.Bob
International Hazard
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Location: USA - NC
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In theory the recipient is not responsible for the mateials, unless they are illegal. But that does not stop various groups from using any issue as
an excuse to search for other things or just harrass the recipient endlessly. I have know people to have the postal authorities seize packages that
they thought were illegal or not labelled or customs due and it was hard to eve get their package or a refund. Someone in Australia got a package
and the glassware was seized to show that they might make drugs. In that case the recipient had a world of pain, and the shipped, me, was not
bothered at all. Every country and state has its own laws and interpretations. People selling in China know that the US cannot touch them, which
is why the recipient is more likely to get harassed when they ship things without proper labelling, customs fees, or even half decent packaging.
[Edited on 5-6-2019 by Dr.Bob]
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Tkuze
Hazard to Others
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Registered: 8-5-2019
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You can buy a 100 gram container of NaN3 off amazon. I ordered 2 containers, no problems. Shipped quick.
Sodium Azide, 100 Grams https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N9O0LUF/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_.5...
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SWIM
National Hazard
Posts: 970
Registered: 3-9-2017
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Thuze, the thread isn't about buying azides, it is about shipping them and what is required.
What is required is special certification and training so I cannot ship the such materials I already have if anybody else wanted them. The people who
can have big enough businesses that it's worth it to get the certifications and training.
I appreciate you attempt to help, but getting azides, cyanides, mercuric chloride, red P isn't really my problem.
To be frank, I don't really use such things much, some not at all, but when I see something that might be tough to find in future I sometimes get
some just in case. Especially if it's a real steal.
Thanks again for the practical information DrBob.
Chems are just an inadvertent sideline to my small glassware business, and I can see there are quite a few complications to it which could have
eventually gotten me in trouble.
I'm gonna stick to glassware and such for the most part.
Try to avoid becoming a thread on legal and societal issues.
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