By: Harry Whitehouse, IB Chief Innovation Officer
Before delving into the details of the new HAZMAT label features recently launched by International Bridge, Inc. and the USPS regulations surrounding hazardous materials, it’s essential to note that hazardous materials or HAZMAT are substances or materials that pose a potential risk to health, safety, or the environment.
What is HAZMAT?
Hazardous materials (HAZMAT) are not limited to industrial chemicals or explosives; many everyday use items can also be classified as hazardous materials, including household cleaning products, batteries, and even some personal care items such as hairspray and hand sanitizers. This means that compliance with regulations for shipping hazardous materials is relevant not only to businesses that regularly handle hazardous materials, but also to individual consumers who may need to ship such items.
The Importance of Compliance with Hazmat Regulations
When shipping hazardous materials, it’s crucial to follow strict regulations and guidelines to ensure the safety of those handling and transporting the materials, as well as the environment. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in fines, penalties, and even legal action.
New HAZMAT Label Features: Making Compliance Easy
In the world of e-commerce shipping, staying informed on the latest regulations for shipping hazardous materials is critical. This is where the new HAZMAT label features launched on International Bridge’s Print&Ship platform blueTM come into play, allowing you to comply with the latest USPS regulations for shipping hazardous materials with ease and peace of mind.
These features meet the new USPS compliance and regulations to allow mailers to continue shipping hazardous materials through the Postal Office. Use the following information to learn how to securely label and ship HAZMAT packages to your domestic destinations.
In addition to the DOT HAZMAT warning labels, here are the USPS label changes required for Ground & Air eligible packages:
- Change in the service indicator, top left of label.
- Add “SPECIAL HANDLING: HAZARDOUS MATERIALS” below the return address.
- “HAZMAT” immediately after the words “USPS TRACKING #” that are directly above the tracking barcode.
Mailers are required to enter a code that defines the type of hazardous material within the shipment.
Our API users must specify a new value “hazmat_contents_code” in the label request. For more information, visit our FAQ page at https://myib.zendesk.com/hc/en-us.
Mailers are also required to separate the HAZMAT and NON-HAZMAT items when tendering at the Postal Office.
To learn more about USPS HAZMAT shipping regulations, please visit: https://www.uspsdelivers.com/hazmat-shipping-safety/
Delivering HAZMAT to Non-Continental US Locations
We recognize the significance of shipping hazardous materials safely and effectively, no matter where they’re headed. That’s why, in addition to our label printing services, we also offer our customers an option to have their HAZMAT packages delivered in a compliant manner to non-continental US locations (Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, FPO/APO, and other US territories) via air, through our long standing Non-con service. Visit our website or contact our sales team to learn more.
Shipping Hazardous Materials Made Easy
At International Bridge, Inc., we prioritize delivering excellent customer service and utilizing the most advanced technology to guarantee that our customers have a superior shipping experience. Our team is always accessible to respond to any inquiries and offer support as needed.
So why wait? Start using our services today and take advantage of our great customer service and up-to-date technology. We make shipping hazardous materials easy and stress-free, so you can focus on growing your business.