Hazardous Materials

As a general rule, hazardous materials cannot be transported by Air. Rules are different for both sea container transportation and road haulage, so if you have any materials on this list please contact us for advice.

Descriptions that Indicate Dangerous Goods
Watch for any of the following descriptions that could indicate Dangerous Goods or Hazardous Materials:

  • Acidic
  • Caustic
  • Combustible Communicable
  • Compressed Gas
  • Corrosive
  • Explosive
  • Flammable
  • Infectious
  • Inflammable
  • Poison
  • Radioactive
  • Refrigerated
  • Toxic
  • Volatile
Certain specific terms may also be clues that dangerous goods and/or hazardous materials may be present. The table below identifies such trigger terms and the potential hazards they may indicate.
Specific Term
Potential Hazard
Air Bags
May contain Air Bag Inflators, or Air Bag Modules or Seat-Belt Pretensioner.
Air Conditioning Equipment
May contain gases under pressure.
Aircraft Parts
May contain such items as fuel control devices which cannot be fully purged of fuel and must be shipped regulated.
Auto Parts
May include carburetors, gas lines, or gas tanks which may contain gasoline.
Barometers
May indicate the presence of mercury.
Batteries
Come in a variety of sizes and types. Several types of batteries are regulated as hazardous materials, including spillable lead-acid batteries, many lithium batteries, etc. Positive protection against short circuits is essential, even for batteries that are not subject to applicable Hazardous Materials Regulations. (See Additional Battery Guidance below)
Breathing Apparatus
May mean oxygen cylinders under pressure.
Bull Semen
May signal the presence of dry ice or liquefied gas.
Camping Gear/Equipment
May include many different dangerous items such as: ammunition, batteries, cooking stoves, flammable gas, fire starting pastes, flammable liquids, heat producing packets, lighters, matches (both strike anywhere and safety type), signal flares, STERNO cooking/heating fuel (the structural tubing on certain types of back packs contains liquid fuels).
Chain Saws and other powered tools
Will most likely contain a residue of fuel.
Chemical Oxygen
May indicate the presence of an oxygen generator.
Cigarette Lighters
Including Lighters or Lighter Refills orTorches may contain flammable gas or flammable liquid.
Computer Equipment
May contain uninterruptible power supplies with electrical storage batteries, magnets in speakers and printing ink.
Construction Equipment
May indicate the presence of batteries, CO2cartridges, and other power devices, gasoline powered saws or generators and space heaters all possibly containing fuel, Liquified Petroleum gas torches, paints, drying agents and thinners.
Cosmetics
May contain flammable liquids.
Cryogenic (liquid)
Means a liquefied gas of very low temperature, which must be shipped as a regulated item.
Cylinder/Container/ Tank
May contain flammable or non-flammable compressed gases.
Dental Apparatus/Equipment
May contain hazardous chemicals such as resins, solvents, or gases.
Drilling and Mining Equipment
May contain explosives, acids, lubricants, mercury or other dangerous goods.
Electrical/Electronic Equipment
May contain powerful magnets, mercury in switches, any one of a variety of batteries and uninterruptible power supplies containing electrical storage batteries. (See Additional Battery Guidance below)
Electrically Powered Apparatus
May contain wet electric storage batteries, or lithium batteries. Even if batteries are excepted from regulations, they must be positively protected against short circuits.
Engine Parts
May include carburetors, gas lines, or gas tanks which may contain fuel or fuel residue.
Fertilizer
Ammonium nitrate, may be an oxidizer.
Fire Extinguishers or Fire Fighting Equipment
May contain gases under pressure or gasoline engine powered equipment.
Frozen Food
May contain dry ice.
Gas
May indicate the presence of a flammable liquid, such as gasoline, a flammable gas or nonflammable gas.
Household Goods
May include paints, bleaches, spray cans under pressure, and numerous other dangerous items.
Hunting Supplies
May contain small arms ammunition or other camping related items.
Ice Maker
May contain gases under pressure.
Laboratory or Testing Equipment
May contain assorted dangerous materials.
Laundry Supplies
May mean strong bleaches or oxidizing fabric treatments.
Lawn Equipment
Such as, but not limited to, lawn mowers and weed trimmers may contain hazardous materials in the form of fuels and/or batteries.
Lighters
Including Cigarette Lighters or Lighter Refills or Torches may contain flammable gas or flammable liquid.
Machinery Parts
May include adhesives, paints, sealants, solvents or other chemicals and gases.
Medical Supplies
May contain flammable or corrosive chemicals, infectious substances or radioactive materials.
Mercury
Or the term “mercurial” may indicate a shipment that is regulated.
Motorized Equipment
Which may contain gasoline or electric batteries.
MSDS or Material Safety Data Sheet
May indicate a product is hazardous. Ensure that the shipment receives expert analysis before being advanced.
Office Supplies
May contain aerosols, both flammable and non-flammable printing ink, uninterruptible power supplies containing electrical storage batteries.
Oxygen Generator
Means a prohibited chemical device that generates oxygen and a large amount of heat.
Passenger Service Unit (PSU)
May indicate the presence of an oxygen generator as utilized in an aircraft.
Perfume
May contain flammable liquids.
Pharmaceuticals
May include flammable liquids, radioactive medicines, or other hazardous chemicals.
Photographic Supplies
Could contain acids, corrosive materials, bleaches, or poisonous materials.
Rechargeable Drills, Screwdrivers and other hand tools
May contain lithium batteries. (See Batteries for additional information)
Refrigeration Equipment
May contain gases under pressure.
Repair Kits
May contain adhesives, paints, solvents, flammable gases, or other dangerous goods.
Samples for Testing
May contain any number of dangerous goods.
Survey Equipment
May indicate the presence of electrical equipment, batteries, power cartridges, and other regulated materials.
Swimming Pool, Jacuzzi Chemicals or Parts
May contain oxidizers or other dangerous goods.
Thermometers
May indicate the presence of mercury.
Tool Boxes
May contain explosives (power rivets), compressed gases (spray cans), flammable adhesives or paints, corrosive liquids, etc.
Vaccines
May be packed in dry ice.
Venom
(liquid, powder or otherwise) may be poisonous.
Weather Equipment
May indicate the presence of devices containing mercury.
Additional Battery Guidance
Types of Batteries
There are many kinds of batteries available today and several are regulated as hazardous materials in transportation that may only be shipped by contract hazmat shippers.
Lead-acid batteries
Common in cars, electric wheelchairs, some continuous computer power sources, and other applications. These batteries contain highly corrosive acid and can cause fires from short circuits.
Non-spillable batteries
Tested, proven non-spillable batteries are allowed to be shipped as non-hazardous within the U.S. Batteries and packaging must be marked “NONSPILLABLE” or “NONSPILLABLE BATTERY”.
Lithium and lithium ion batteries
Both rechargeable and non-rechargeable power sources, common in computers, cell phones, cameras and other small electronic devices. If dropped, crushed or short-circuited, these batteries can release dangerous amounts of heat and may ignite, and are dangerous in fires. Special regulations apply to shipping these batteries. Shipments requiring hazardous materials shipping papers are accepted from contract hazmat shippers only, and certain lithium batteries may not qualify.
Other Batteries
Although common dry cell (e.g., AA, C, D batteries) may not be regulated as hazardous materials, all batteries can cause fires from short circuits if batteries and terminals are not protected.
Protect Batteries and Terminals

When shipping batteries, you must protect all terminals against short circuits by completely covering the terminals with an insulating material (e.g., by using electrical tape or enclosing each battery separately in a plastic bag).

  • Short circuits can cause fires.
  • Package the batteries to keep them from being crushed or damaged, and to keep them from shifting during handling.
  • Always keep metal objects or other materials that can short circuit battery terminals securely away from the batteries – e.g., by using separate inner box for the batteries.
Prevent Fires

Any device with installed batteries must not turn on while in transport. Protect switches that can be accidentally activated, or remove the batteries and protect the terminals.- Even very simple devices like flashlights or rechargeable drills can generate a dangerous quantity of heat if accidentally activated.

Recalled or Recycled Batteries

Never ship recalled or recycled batteries by air.

No recycled or recalled batteries are allowed to be shipped between the continental U.S. and Alaska, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, where aircraft always must be used.

Electronic Items for Repair
Repair items, such as computers and cell phones, should be sent without batteries.