[pct-l] Shipping gas canisters

[David Ehreth]

There is no question about being able to mail small butane canisters
through the USPS. However, it's a little hard to dig it out of USPS
Publication 52, but here's how to do it:

Start here: Section 342.22 (Page 31), Mailable Gases. Read paragraph a.
Note that the standard small butane canister is normally marked UN2037.

Then go to Section 343.3 (Page 41), Marking and Documentation. Read
paragraph b. This explains the markings you will need on the package.

Next, review USPS Packaging Instruction 2A (page 315), Flammable Gasses.
This section will insure proper packaging.

Finally, to really convince yourself that this is a permissible thing,
review Appendix A, (page 155) under *Butane*, et al. This will refer you to
Appendix A, Receptacles (page 233) where the whole thing is pretty clearly
spelled out.

One reason we hike is so that we never have to do this kind of thing. Good
luck!

Dave


On Thu, Dec 12, 2013 at 1:31 PM, Ken Powers <ken at gottawalk.com> wrote:

> Section 343 applies to Liquids. The second line of the definition
> specifically excludes items included in other definitions, i.e.: Gases in
> section 342.
>
> Ken
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Alan Miller" <alan.miller401 at gmail.com>
> To: "Frank Dumville" <fdumville at earthlink.net>
> Cc: "pct-l" <pct-l at backcountry.net>
> Sent: Thursday, December 12, 2013 12:29 PM
> Subject: Re: [pct-l] Shipping gas canisters
>
>
> I was looking at the regulations for shipping canisters and I am wondering
> if I am missing something.  The regs under 343.21 say "Flammable liquid
> with a flashpoint of 20° F (–7° C) or below is prohibited."  Google is
> telling me that Isobutane has a flashpoint of -115 F.  Wouldn't this
> prohibit you from shipping canisters?
>
>
>
> On Thu, Dec 5, 2013 at 1:53 AM, Frank Dumville
> <fdumville at earthlink.net>wrote:
>
> > For details here's a link to the USPS publication on shipping hazardous
> > material.
> > http://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/welcome.htm
> >
> > Ken's link has a good summary.
> >
> > When you go to the post office the postal clerk may not be aware that you
> > can ship fuel so having the applicable sections of pub 52 can be handy to
> > show them. Try to go when they aren't busy and be politely persistent.
> >
> > Fuel can only be sent surface mail. NO priority shipping. Give it plenty
> > of lead time.
> >
> > A better option is to get it along the trail. Here's a link to a list of
> > fuel availability from 2012 that was recently posted.
> > http://mailman.backcountry.net/pipermail/pct-l/2013-November/071511.html
> >
> > Snap
> >
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