178.509—Standards for plastic drums and jerricans.
(1)
The packaging must be manufactured from suitable plastic material and be of adequate strength in relation to its capacity and intended use. No used material other than production residues or regrind from the same manufacturing process may be used unless approved by the Associate Administrator. The packaging must be adequately resistant to aging and to degradation caused either by the substance contained or by ultra-violet radiation. Any permeation of the substance contained may not constitute a danger under normal conditions of transport.
(2)
If protection against ultra-violet radiation is required, it must be provided by the addition of carbon black or other suitable pigments or inhibitors. These additives must be compatible with the contents and remain effective throughout the life of the packaging. Where use is made of carbon black, pigments or inhibitors other than those used in the manufacture of the design type, retesting may be omitted if the carbon black content does not exceed 2 percent by mass or if the pigment content does not exceed 3 percent by mass; the content of inhibitors of ultra-violet radiation is not limited.
(3)
Additives serving purposes other than protection against ultra-violet radiation may be included in the composition of the plastic material provided they do not adversely affect the chemical and physical properties of the packaging material.
(4)
The wall thickness at every point of the packaging must be appropriate to its capacity and its intended use, taking into account the stresses to which each point is liable to be exposed. Minimum thickness and marking requirements in §§ 173.28(b)(4) and 178.503(a)(9) of this subchapter apply to drums intended for reuse.
(5)
Openings for filling, emptying and venting in the bodies or heads of non-removable head (1H1) drums and jerricans (3H1) may not exceed 7.0 cm (3 inches) in diameter. Drums and jerricans with larger openings are considered to be of the removable head type (1H2 and 3H2). Closures for openings in the bodies or heads of drums and jerricans must be so designed and applied that they remain secure and leakproof under normal conditions of transport. Gaskets or other sealing elements must be used with closures unless the closure is inherently leakproof.
(6)
Closure devices for removable head drums and jerricans must be so designed and applied that they remain secure and leakproof under normal conditions of transport. Gaskets must be used with all removable heads unless the drum or jerrican design is such that when the removable head is properly secured, the drum or jerrican is inherently leakproof.
(7)
Maximum capacity of drums and jerricans: 1H1, 1H2: 450 L (119 gallons); 3H1, 3H2: 60 L (16 gallons).
[Amdt. 178-97, 55 FR 52717, Dec. 21, 1990, as amended by Amdt. 178-102, 59 FR 28494, June 2, 1994; 64 FR 10782, Mar. 5, 1999; 66 FR 45386, Aug. 28, 2001]