February 2025 Edition

ChemRegs Newsletter

ChemRegs Newsletter – February 2025

Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List (EAC) 2025

The Dangerous Goods Emergency Action Code List 2025 (EAC 2025) has again been produced by the NCEC (Part of Ricardo), with the co-operation of the UK Home Office and is published by the Stationary Office (TSO).

The EAC List 2025 supersedes the 2023 list and is effective immediately in connection with the use of ADR/RID 2025. It is mandatory from 1st July 2025, which means the EAC List 2023 should no longer be used from that date.

Duty holders are required to use EAC 2025 for the application of the appropriate Emergency Action Codes (EAC) for tanks or bulk loads in Great Britain (GB) under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations 2009 (CDG 2009) (as amended), and in Northern Ireland (NI) under the Carriage of Dangerous Goods and Use of Transportable Pressure Equipment Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2010 (CDG 2010) (as amended).

Emergency Action Codes, also known as Hazchem Codes, are designed for use by the emergency services in the UK to indicate actions that may be necessary during an incident involving dangerous goods. They are displayed above the UN Number of the product on the orange Hazard Warning Panel.

Different requirements apply to UK domestic journeys and international journeys. CDG 2009/CDG 2010 implement national derogations that requires UK registered vehicles on UK domestic journeys to be marked with the EAC and to include a telephone number for advice in the event of an emergency. Vehicles with tanks or bulk loads on international journeys carry the HIN (hazard identification number – sometimes called the Kemler code) and are not required to display a telephone number.

The EAC List is revised every 2 years and the 2025 List includes the following new entries and updates.

New entries:

  • UN3551 SODIUM ION BATTERIES with organic electrolyte
  • UN3552 SODIUM ION BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT or SODIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT, with organic electrolyte
  • UN3553 DISILANE
  • UN3554 GALLIUM CONTAINED IN MANUFACTURED ARTICLES
  • UN3555 TRIFLUOROMETHYLTETRAZOLE-SODIUM SALT IN ACETONE, with not less than 68 % acetone, by mass
  • UN3556 VEHICLE, LITHIUM ION BATTERY POWERED
  • UN3557 VEHICLE, LITHIUM METAL BATTERY POWERED
  • UN3558 VEHICLE, SODIUM ION BATTERY POWERED
  • UN3559 FIRE SUPPRESSANT DISPERSING DEVICES
  • UN3560 TETRAMETHYLAMMONIUM HYDROXIDE AQUEOUS SOLUTION with not less than 25 % tetramethylammonium hydroxide

Updates to:

  • UN1010 BUTADIENES, STABILIZED or BUTADIENES AND HYDROCARBON MIXTURE, STABILIZED, containing more than 20% butadienes
  • UN1197 EXTRACTS, LIQUID, for flavour or aroma
  • UN1835 TETRAMETHYLAMMONIUM HYDROXIDE AQUEOUS SOLUTION
  • UN3292 BATTERIES, CONTAINING METALLIC SODIUM OR SODIUM ALLOY, or CELLS, CONTAINING METALLIC SODIUM OR SODIUM ALLOY
  • UN3423 TETRAMETHYLAMMONIUM HYDROXIDE, SOLID

The EAC List 2025 can be bought as a hard copy from TSO or other online retailers, and can also downloaded for free at the NCEC website: https://www.ricardo.com/en/news-and-insights/industry-insights/dangerous-goods-emergency-action-code-list-2025

IATA Battery Guidance Document

The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has published a new version of its free Battery Guidance Document, which has been revised for the 2025 Regulations.

It used to be called the Lithium Battery Guidance Document, but the name has been changed as it now includes the provisions of the DGR with respect to lithium and sodium ion batteries. In the 23rd edition of the UN Model Regulations, the UN SCoETDG included new provisions for sodium-ion batteries, with liquid organic electrolytes, marking a significant shift for 2025.

Lithium and sodium ion batteries can be carried by air depending on configuration and Watt-hour rating (for rechargeable) or lithium content (for non-rechargeable). In addition, spare batteries are not allowed in checked baggage.

The guidance document is based on the provisions set out in the 2025-2026 Edition of the ICAO Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (Technical Instructions) and the 66th Edition (2025) of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR). It aims to assist shippers in understanding the complete requirements related to the transport of batteries including lithium and sodium ion batteries.

It includes guidance on the carriage of battery-powered cargo tracking devices and data loggers as well as updated and additional FAQs for shippers to learn how to comply with the 66th Edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) on definitions, classifications, exceptions, and prohibitions.

The provisions of the DGR with respect to lithium and sodium ion batteries may also be found in the IATA Battery Shipping Regulations (BSR) 12th Edition. In addition to the content from the DGR, the BSR also has additional classification flowcharts and detailed packing and documentation examples for these batteries. Unfortunately the BSR is not free and can be bought as a digital or hard copy from IATA publications.

The Battery Guidance Document for the Transport of Lithium Metal, Lithium Ion and Sodium Ion Batteries can be downloaded from: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/05e6d8742b0047259bf3a700bc9d42b9/lithium-battery-guidance-document.pdf

IATA has also published a Battery Guidance Document for the Transport of UN 3496, Batteries, nickel-metal hydride. This guidance document is provided by IATA to address the difficulties experienced by parties shipping and/or accepting UN 3496, Batteries, nickel metal hydride and equipment containing nickel-metal hydride batteries by air transport.

The Battery Guidance Document for the Transport of UN 3496, Batteries, nickel-metal hydride can be downloaded from: https://www.iata.org/contentassets/05e6d8742b0047259bf3a700bc9d42b9/guidance-document-nickel-metal-hydride-batteries-en.pdf

Publication of GB mandatory classification and labelling (GB MCL) decisions and updated GB MCL list

Ministers acting on behalf of the Secretary of State, with the consent of Scottish and Welsh Ministers, have made a decision regarding the GB mandatory classification and labelling (GB MCL) of 46 chemical substances.

The ministerial decision is an administrative process of updating the GB MCL list with new and revised GB MCLs.

Summaries of these GB MCLs have now been published in the GB CLP publication table, together with the entry into force date (15 February 2025) and the compliance date (15 August 2026).

The reasons for the decision were the identification of the intrinsic hazards of the 46 substances resulting from the scientific and technical assessment of the available information (as set out in the Agency Technical Reports), with no significant impacts being identified by the impact and policy assessments, as set out in the Agency Opinions.

The GB MCL list, which contains the legally binding mandatory classification and labelling of substances, has also been updated with these new or revised GB MCLs.

For information on the steps in the process, please see the HSE webpage on the GB MCL system.

For more information on anything in this Newsletter, please contact us at info@chemregs.co.uk

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