(a) Except as provided in paragraphs (c) and (d) of this section, each person who offers for transportation a bulk packaging which contains a hazardous material, shall affix the placards specified for the material in §§172.504 and 172.505.

(b) Each bulk packaging that is required to be placarded when it contains a hazardous material, must remain placarded when it is emptied, unless it—

(1) Is sufficiently cleaned of residue and purged of vapors to remove any potential hazard;

(2) Is refilled, with a material requiring different placards or no placards, to such an extent that any residue remaining in the packaging is no longer hazardous; or

(3) Contains the residue of a hazardous substance in Class 9 in a quantity less than the reportable quantity, and conforms to §173.29(b)(1) of this subchapter.

(c) Exceptions. The following packagings may be placarded on only two opposite sides or, alternatively, may be labeled instead of placarded in accordance with subpart E of this part:

(1) A portable tank having a capacity of less than 3,785 L (1000 gallons);

(2) A DOT 106 or 110 multi-unit tank car tank;

(3) A bulk packaging other than a portable tank, cargo tank, flexible bulk container, or tank car (e.g., a bulk bag or box) with a volumetric capacity of less than 18 cubic meters (640 cubic feet);

(4) An IBC. For an IBC labeled in accordance with subpart E of this part, the IBC may display the proper shipping name and UN identification number markings in accordance with §172.301(a)(1) in place of the UN number on an orange panel, placard or white square-on-point configuration as prescribed in §172.336(d); and

(5) A Large Packaging as defined in §171.8 of this subchapter.

(d) A flexible bulk container may be placarded in two opposing positions.

[Amdt. 172-136, 59 FR 38064, July 26, 1994; Amdt. 172-148, 61 FR 50255, Sept. 25, 1996, as amended by 66 FR 45379, Aug. 28, 2001; 69 FR 64473, Nov. 4, 2004; 75 FR 5392, Feb. 2, 2010; 76 FR 43528, July 20, 2011; 77 FR 60942, Oct. 5, 2012; 81 FR 35540, June 2, 2016; 85 FR 27878, May 11, 2020]