Dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational use

Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods 2005 and Land Transport Rule: Dangerous Goods Amendment 2010 set out the legal requirements for transporting dangerous goods safely. Together, these rules are known as the Dangerous Goods Rule or the Rule.

The Rule applies to all people who transport dangerous goods, but how it affects you will depend on:

• the type of dangerous goods
• how much you're transporting
• whether you're transporting the dangerous goods for your own domestic or recreational use, or for a business purpose.

This factsheet applies to people who carry dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use:

• If you transport dangerous goods as tools-of-trade, for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, but not for hire or direct reward, read factsheet 68, Dangerous goods transported as tools-of-trade.
• If you're a licensed transport service operator or if you transport dangerous goods for direct reward, read factsheet 67, Dangerous goods carried by transport service operators or for direct reward.

These factsheets provide an overview only – you must refer directly to the Rule for details, especially if you're transporting large quantities of dangerous goods. (Printed copies of the Rule are available from bookshops that sell legislation and some libraries.)

What are dangerous goods?

The following items are commonly available and are classified as dangerous goods:

• ammunition and fireworks
• aerosol canisters
• LPG cylinders
• compressed air cylinders for scuba diving
• flammable liquids such as petrol, kerosene, methylated spirits, turpentine, solvent based paints and perfume
• some swimming pool chemicals
• some household cleaning products such as dishwasher detergents
• some garden care products
• diesel.

Recognising dangerous goods

Packages containing dangerous goods must be marked or labelled to identify their hazardous properties. This is to warn everyone who handles or transports the goods, or finds the goods in an emergency situation.

For transport, dangerous goods are identified with a diamond-shaped class warning label, a United Nations (UN) number and a proper shipping name. Some products also require special marks to warn of hazards that are not indicated by other labels or marks. For example, products that are toxic to the aquatic environment and classified as environmentally hazardous substances must be identified with the environmentally hazardous substance mark (a diamond-shaped symbol of a dead fish and tree) as shown below.

• The diamond-shaped class warning labels give a pictorial representation of the danger – such as a flame for flammable substances or skull and cross bones for toxic (poisonous) substances. The class number of the dangerous goods is printed in the bottom corner of the label.
• The UN number is a four-digit number preceded by the capital letters UN. For example, the UN number for petrol is UN 1203.
• The proper shipping name is usually of a chemical or technical nature and is often written in capital letters (eg LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GASES or PETROL).

Dangerous goods packaged for retail sale don't always have the diamond-shaped label on the package, but are marked with warning information to identify their hazards.

Transporting small quantities of dangerous goods

If you carry dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use, but not for hire or direct reward, and the quantity is within the limits in Schedule 1 of the Rule (see table 2), then you are responsible for:

• making sure the goods are properly packaged and identified
• segregating incompatible dangerous goods
• securing the load on your vehicle.

Packaging and identification

Packaging must not contaminate or react with the goods, and must be strong enough to transport the goods safely and without leaking under normal conditions.

Many dangerous goods available to the public are supplied in small containers. These are dangerous goods in limited quantities or dangerous goods in excepted quantities.  Dangerous goods packaged in this way present a relatively low risk and are suitable for domestic or recreational use. The Rule also allows them to be carried by commercial transport operators with fewer controls than for larger containers of dangerous goods.

However, dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational purposes are not restricted to dangerous goods in limited quantities or dangerous goods in excepted quantities. For domestic or recreational transport, the size of the packaging or the quantity per container is not specifically controlled, provided it is within the quantity limits in schedule 1. The container must also be safe and appropriate for the nature of the goods and comply with any requirements of other New Zealand authorities.

When you buy dangerous goods, they are contained in packaging that meets the requirements for transport, and are marked or labelled to identify the danger of the goods.

There are, however, two common situations when you supply the container for dangerous goods. They are when you:

• fill a container of your own with petrol or diesel (this doesn't include filling your vehicle's fuel tank), or
• have a portable LPG cylinder refilled.

In these circumstances, both you and the person selling the goods have a responsibility to ensure the container meets the requirements of the Rule and, in the case of the LPG cylinder, has passed a test inspection within the last 10 years.

Your container must show that it contains dangerous goods. You need the UN number, proper shipping name and class of dangerous goods. For high flash point diesel containers bigger than five litres, you also need the environmentally hazardous substance mark (see the diesel information document for more details and examples of labels and marks for diesel containers). If your container does not have a diamond-shaped warning label to identify the class of dangerous goods, write the class number on it, together with the UN number and proper shipping name. For example the identification for:

• petrol is UN 1203, PETROL, class 3
• LPG is UN 1075, LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GASES, class 2.1
• high flash point diesel is UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (Diesel), class 9 and if the container is over 5 litres, the environmentally hazardous substance mark.

These details can be written clearly on the container or on a tag attached to the container. You could also ask the person selling the goods for a class warning label to identify the danger.

Alternatively, the labels or markings required by any other law (eg the Hazardous Substances and New Organisms Act 1996), which clearly identify the contents of the package, are also acceptable.

Segregate dangerous goods

To prevent serious reactions between different dangerous goods, they should be kept apart from each other. Small quantities of goods, such as aerosols (class 2.1 or 2.2), flammable liquids (class 3), toxic substances (class 6.1), corrosive substances (class 8) and environmentally hazardous substances (class 9) can be carried together.

Explosives (class 1), oxidising substances (class 5.1) and organic peroxides (class 5.2) should be kept apart as much as possible, and preferably not be carried together in the same vehicle or with other dangerous goods. Class 6 or class 8 substances should also be kept apart from food items, to prevent the food being contaminated.

Secure your load

All loads must be carried securely, so they don't fall from the vehicle or cause any harm to people, property or the environment. This is especially important with dangerous goods. If the packages are damaged they could either spill (and put people, property or the environment in danger) or react dangerously with other goods.

Transporting large quantities of dangerous goods

If you transport more than the quantity permitted in schedule 1 of the Rule, you must comply with more transport controls. These include additional requirements for packaging, labelling and marking, segregation, and transport procedures:

• Table 1 shows which sections of the Rule you must read depending on the nature and quantity of dangerous goods you are transporting.
• Table 2 is a copy of schedule 1 in the Rule and shows the maximum amount of different dangerous goods that you can transport for domestic or recreational use before you must comply with more requirements of the Rule.

Table 1: Dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational use

Nature and quantity	Packaging	Labelling and marking	Documents	Segregation	Placards	Transport procedures	Training
DGLQ1 and Con Coms2 and other dangerous goods3 within the limit in schedule 1	GSR4 (3.1) and as required by the relevant regulatory authority5	4.4(1)(a), 4.4(2)	not required 5.3(1)(a)	GSR4 Section 6.1(1)	7.46	GSR4 8.1(1)	not required
Above the limit in schedule 1	section 3	section 4	not required 5.3(1)(a)	section 6	7.46	section 8	not required

¹ DGLQ – Dangerous goods in limited quantities. These are dangerous goods of low to moderate danger, packaged in small quantities as listed in schedule 2 and complying with requirements in clause 2.3.

² Con Coms – Consumer commodities. These are DGLQ packaged for retail sale for personal care, recreational or domestic use.

³ Other dangerous goods includes those packaged in the types and sizes of packaging permitted in subclause 3.2(8) and dangerous goods in excepted quantities or excepted packages of radioactive material transported in accordance with clause 2.9.

⁴ GSR – General safety requirements set out at the beginning of each section of the Rule.

⁵ The relevant regulatory authority for the different classes of dangerous goods is listed in the table below.

⁶ Placards are not generally required for transporting dangerous goods for domestic or recreational use. However, placards must be permanently displayed on bulk containers for environmentally hazardous substances (UN 3077 or UN 3082). This includes tank trailers and portable tanks for high flash point diesel and some agrichemical products that may be transported in bulk for domestic or recreational use. (See the diesel information document for details about labelling, placarding and marking containers for high flash point diesel and other environmentally hazardous substances.)

Class 2	Regulatory Authority
1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.1, 8, 9	Environmental Risk Management Authority
6.2 affecting animals only	Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
6.2 affecting humans	Ministry of Health
7	National Radiation Laboratory

Table 2: Quantity limits (copy of schedule 1 from the Rule)

Schedule 1: Quantity limits for dangerous goods transported for domestic or recreational purposes, for use as tools-of-trade, for agricultural use or for a commercial purpose, but not transported for hire or direct reward.
Class or division	Class or division name	Packing group‡	Maximum quantity*
1	Explosives (except UN 0012, CARTRIDGES, SMALL ARMS)	–	50kg subject to other New Zealand legislation
1.4S	UN 0012 CARTRIDGES, SMALL ARMS	–	250kg
2.1	Flammable gases	–	250 litres water capacity
2.2	Non-flammable, non toxic gases; cryogenic liquids (except UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID)	–	25 litres water capacity
	UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID	–	100 litres
	Non-flammable, non toxic gases (except cryogenic liquids)	–	250 litres water capacity
2.3	Toxic gases (except those listed below)	–	50 litres water capacity
	UN 1026, CYANOGEN; UN 1067, NITROGEN DIOXIDE; UN 1076, PHOSGENE; UN 1589, CYANOGEN CHLORIDE, STABILIZED	–	1 litre water capacity
3	Flammable liquids	I	5 litres
	[Note: Petrol is classified as UN 1203, PETROL, Class 3, Packing Group II. Diesel with a flash point of 60°C or less is classified as UN 1202, GAS OIL or DIESEL FUEL or HEATING OIL, LIGHT, Class 3, Packing Group III. Diesel with a flash point over 60°C is classified as UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (Diesel), Class 9, Packing Group III.]	II or III	250 litres
4.1	Flammable solids	I	5kg
		II	50kg
		III	250kg
4.2	Spontaneously combustible substances	I	No quantity permitted
	Spontaneously combustible substances (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	II or III	50kg
4.3	Dangerous when wet (except UN 1397, ALUMINIUM PHOSPHIDE; UN 1402, CALCIUM CARBIDE and UN 2011, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHIDE)	I	No quantity permitted
	UN 1397, ALUMINIUM PHOSPHIDE; UN 1402, CALCIUM CARBIDE and UN 2011, MAGNESIUM PHOSPHIDE	I	5kg
	Dangerous when wet (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	II or III	50kg
5.1	Oxidizing substances	I	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
5.2	Organic peroxides Type B (Packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities only)	–	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
	Organic peroxides Type C, D, E or F (As hardener for an organic resin or packaged as Dangerous Goods in Limited Quantities or Consumer Commodities)	–	10kg (solids, powders, etc); or 10 litres (liquids)
6.1	Toxic substances	I	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
6.2	Infectious substances Category A	–	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
	Infectious substances Category B (except portable toilet effluent, septic tank wastes and sewage screening sludge)	–	50kg (solids, powders, etc) or 50 litres (liquids)
	UN 3291, CLINICAL WASTE, UNSPECIFIED, N.O.S. or (BIO) MEDICAL WASTE, N.O.S.	–	50kg (solids, powders, etc) or 50 litres (liquids)
	Portable toilet effluent, septic tank wastes and sewage screening sludge	–	250kg, 250 litres or two portable toilets, whichever is the greater quantity
7	Radioactive material	–	As permitted by Regulations for the Safe Transport of Radioactive Material of the International Atomic Energy Agency or the requirements of the relevant regulatory authority
8	Corrosive substances (except batteries listed below)	I	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
	UN 2794, BATTERIES, WET, FILLED WITH ACID, electric storage UN 2795, BATTERIES, WET, FILLED WITH ALKALI, electric storage UN 2800, BATTERIES, WET, NON-SPILLABLE, electric storage	–	250 litres (measured by the volume of the battery case)
	UN 3028, BATTERIES, DRY, CONTAINING POTASSIUM HYDROXIDE SOLID, electric storage	–	250kg
9	Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles	I	5kg (solids, powders, etc); or 5 litres (liquids)
		II	50kg (solids, powders, etc); or 50 litres (liquids)
		III	250kg (solids, powders, etc); or 250 litres (liquids)
	Substances, other than diesel, that are toxic to the aquatic environment (UN 3077 or UN 3082)	III	1000kg (solids, powders, etc) or 1000  litres (liquids)
	Diesel with a flash point over 60°C, classified as UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (Diesel) †	III	2000 litres
Mixed loads	The maximum quantity for a mixed load is an aggregate amount of 500, using the following units: kilograms (solids, powders, etc including the weight of the packaging), litres (liquids), litres water capacity (gases). The quantity of Class 9 diesel, or Class 9 substances that are toxic to the aquatic environment, is in addition to the maximum quantity for a mixed load. The maximum quantity for a mixed load is exceeded if the quantity for any class or division in the load exceeds the limit specified for that class or division.
* The maximum quantity is determined by the actual quantity of dangerous goods carried, measured in: kilograms (including the weight of the packaging) for solids, powders, etc; litres for liquids; litres water capacity of the cylinder or container for gases, except for cryogenic liquids (such as UN 1977, NITROGEN, REFRIGERATED LIQUID) where the actual quantity can easily be measured with a dip-stick or similar measuring device.
† Diesel with a flash point over 60°C, classified as UN 3082, ENVIRONMENTALLY HAZARDOUS SUBSTANCE, LIQUID, N.O.S. (Diesel), Class 9, is not subject to this Rule before 1 January 2011. Diesel with a flash point of 60°C or less is classified as UN 1202, GAS OIL or DIESEL FUEL or HEATING OIL, LIGHT, Class 3, Packing Group III and is subject to this Rule (see Class 3 in Table A and in this Schedule).
‡ Packing group means one of three groups into which dangerous goods of Class or Division 3, 4, 5.1, 6.1, 8 and 9 are divided for packaging purposes according to their degree of danger, and that are ranked in a decreasing order of danger: ‘Packing Group I’ (high danger), 'Packing Group II' (medium danger) and 'Packing Group III' (low danger).

Where you can find out more

• Refer to the Rule. (You can get printed copies from bookshops that sell legislation and some libraries.)
• For detailed description of the definitions used in this factsheet, refer to the Rule (PDF).
• Contact NZ Transport Agency:
  • Email us: info@nzta.govt.nz.
  • Phone our contact centre: 0800 699 000.
  • Write to us: NZ Transport Agency, Private Bag 6995, Wellington 6141.