[pct-l] carrying and shipping alcohol

[ronyon at comcast.net (Ron Smith)]

I've been through the pain of finding USPS packaging and labeling info
for denatured alcohol, so I'll share what I found. Rather than
paraphrasing, I've included the relevant text below. Since the flash
point for denatured alcohol is around 13C/55F, packaging and labeling
falls under the following USPS instructions. Though this first appears
daunting, I found it a fairly simple process. Here it is (from USPS
Guidelines Appendix C: Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail):

For flashpoint greater than 20F (-7C) but not more than 73F (23C):

Primary Receptacle
- A metal primary receptacle must not exceed 1 quart.
- A nonmetal primary receptacle must not exceed 1 pint.
- The primary receptacle must have a screw cap (with a minimum of
one-and-one-half turns), soldering clips, or other means of secure
closure (friction tops are not acceptable).
- Only one primary receptacle is permitted per mailpiece.

Cushioning Material and Secondary Packaging
- Enough cushioning material must surround the primary receptacle to
prevent breakage and absorb any potential leakage.
- The cushioning and primary receptacle must be packed in a securely
sealed secondary packaging.

Outer Packaging
- A strong outer packaging that is capable of firmly and securely
holding the primary receptacle, cushioning material, and secondary
packaging is required.

Marking
- Each mailpiece must be clearly marked on the address side with 
"Surface Mail Only", 
"Consumer Commodity ORM-D", 
and the flashpoint of the flammable liquid (which is 13C/55F for
denatured alcohol)

Ron Smith

> Shipping
> For shipping alcohol, I'm tentatively planning to ship denatured ethyl
> alcohol in regular plastic 16 Oz. alcohol bottles of the sort found in
> pharmacies and grocery stores...
> 
> Anyone out there who is knowledgeable please add to the discourse!
Help
> out
> the rest of us.