Absorbent Material - General Requirements

Attachment 20 describes absorbent material general requirements. When using combination packagings, you must use absorbent materials suitable for handling liquid hazardous materials, in case the primary receptacle leaks.

For packages containing a liquid in Packing Group (PG) I, include sufficient cushioning material to absorb the entire contents of all inner containers.

For packages holding a liquid in PG II, include sufficient cushioning material to absorb the entire contents of any one inner container. If the inner containers are different sizes, the cushioning material must be sufficient enough to absorb the contents of the inner receptacle holding the most liquid.

You do not need to include absorbent conditioning material for:

• Paint in PG II
• Liquids in PG III*
• Consumer commodities*
• Materials authorized by A17.1.2 certified to and prepared by an IATA packing instruction requiring a secondary means of maintaining inner packaging closures or a leak proof liner in place of absorbent materials.

* If you use any inner receptacles other than glass or earthenware.

When placing containers of liquids that do not meet pressure requirements into overpack containers that also do not meet pressure requirements, use absorbent cushioning materials as stated above.

If absorbent cushioning material is required and or the outer packaging is not liquid tight (or leak proof), then you must use a means of containing that liquid in case of a leak such as a liner, plastic bag, and so on. See A20.1.5 for more details.

When securely closed polyethylene bags are used to contain the cushioning of a hazardous liquid, the bags must be of sufficient size to form a line for the exterior container or a bag for the interior container.

The thickness of liners and polyethylene bags is specified in their corresponding test reports.

When you are consolidating individual packagings that meet air eligibility requirements into an overpack, use enough cushioning material to secure the packagings from damage. Completely fill any void space in the container with cushioning material (whether absorbent or non-absorbent).

For UN specification packagings that have meet test requirements as a single packaging, you do not need to use absorbent cushioning material.

Refer to Table A20.1 to determine how much absorbent cushioning material to use for overpacking and liquid hazardous materials. See A20.2 for specific details.

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