Are you having trouble shipping lab samples or dangerous goods from your workplace?
Chemical samples must often be shipped for analysis to labs across the country and sometimes the world. However, when considered hazardous under International Air Transport Association (IATA) guidance, these materials are often rejected by shipping companies because they are considered dangerous goods shipments.
Shipping Lab Samples: What to Know
Prior to offering a dangerous good to an air carrier, hazardous materials regulations require the shipper to classify, package, mark, and label the shipment. Only trained personnel can prepare and sign the required paperwork to forward the shipment to the carrier.
For example, many paper mills in Maine must ship samples of their black liquor to laboratories in Canada or the Pacific Northwest for analysis. According to IATA, black liquor, a by-product of the Kraft process that digests pulpwood, contains caustic, corrosive chemicals that must be properly identified. These mills must employ personnel or contractors to manage these shipments according to applicable regulations.
Declaring your hazardous materials is imperative to ensure you and your company comply. For those who knowingly do not comply with these regulations, a fine upwards of $500,000 can be imposed on an individual. Meanwhile, a company may be dealt fines greater than $75,000 per violation daily.
At Maine Labpack, we offer full-service shipping options that help get your samples across the globe. Our trained dangerous goods shippers properly package, label, and prepare documentation for your sample shipments to get them to the lab immediately.
Interested in our dangerous goods services? Contact us at Maine Labpack today to learn more!