UN Packaging Requirements for Fireworks in the US and Canada

With both Canada Day and the 4th of July coming up, there will be shipments of fireworks coming in from all over the world. As we all celebrate and enjoy the spectacle in the sky, being a dangerous goods expert, I ask myself, what type of packaging is required when shipping fireworks domestically and internationally? Below are the various packaging requirements across the dangerous goods regulations.

You will find that there are many similarities across the various regulations when shipping fireworks when it comes to packaging. Our first example, in the United States, at least a PGII UN packaging is required when shipping fireworks. Specifically, 49CFR 173.62 will send you to Packing instruction 135 referenced below in the chart. For example, as referenced on the right side of the chart, 4G boxes are allowed as outer packaging as well as drums and wooden boxes, among other types of packaging.

In the case of inner packaging for fireworks per the column on the left, they can be placed in fiberboard receptacles or various types of bags before being placed into an acceptable outer packaging. Intermediate packaging such as inserts and cushioning is allowed but not required.

Similarly, when shipping within Canada, we would look in the CGSB-43.151, and it will send us to Packing instruction EP35 referenced below. Canada allows various boxes and drums as outer packages with at least a PGII rating, as well as bags and fiberboard receptacles as inner packaging.

If you are shipping by ocean internationally, IMDG Code P135 also allows the same types of packaging with at least a PGII rating referenced by the 49CFR as well as CGSB-43.151. Easy enough, right? Where you might run into a snag is if you are shipping by air. Fireworks are listed as either UN 0333, 0334, 0335, 0336, and 0337. All of these are forbidden to ship by air except UN 0336, which is a class 1.4G explosive and can only go on Cargo only aircrafts, and UN 0337, which is a class 1.4S and can be shipped on both passenger and cargo aircrafts. Both UN 0336 and 0337 will lead you to PI 135, which allows various drums and boxes, including 4G in Packing group II, as long as you don’t exceed the max net quantity per package listed in the list of dangerous goods in section 4.2. Also, as always, make sure you check for various state or operator variations listed as well. Here at ICC Compliance Center, we offer 4GV packaging, which would exceed the requirements of the various regulations listed above.

For more information, call us at 1-888-442-9628 or 1-888-977-4834.

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