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Federal Register / Vol. 86, No. 151 / Tuesday, August 10, 2021 / Proposed Rules amended the definition of a tube to include composite construction and this change also included standards for the construction of composite tubes. Due to the lack of any technical or safety concerns, the 21st revised edition of the UN Model Regulations included an amendment to the definition of MEGCs which provides for composite construction, in addition to stainless steel construction and were not intended to exclude MEGCs. With these proposed revisions, PHMSA expects that this will provide flexibility and opportunities for cost savings for manufacturers of MEGCs while not compromising safety. Additionally, authorizing alternative MEGC packaging construction would provide flexibility in packaging selection for shippers that could facilitate the transportation of hydrogen or other gases that may be used to support clean energy alternatives.

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Section 178.275
Section 178.275 outlines requirements and definitions pertaining to UN
portable tanks intended for the transportation of liquid and solid hazardous materials. Paragraph i specifies the capacity requirements for pressure relief devices that must be on these portable tanks. The HMR specify a formula that can be used to determine the required total capacity for these pressure relief devices. The formula defines variable U as thermal conductance of the insulation.
Discussions held by the UNSCOE 31 led to the conclusion that usage of the phrase thermal conductance associated with the variable U in this formula is misleading because, in general scientific usage, conductance is expressed in kW. K1, and is not a surface factor. Leaving the formula description as it currently appears in the HMR may cause confusion for those who use it given that the correct term for the unit given is heat transfer coefficient. PHMSA proposes to replace the phrase thermal conductance with heat transfer coefficient so that U is defined as heat transfer coefficient of the insulation which is more appropriate for what is being calculated and is consistent with use of the formula in the UN Model Regulations. This would ensure proper calculation of the total capacity for the pressure relief devices for these portable tanks.
31 Use of the terms conductivity and conductance in chapter 6.7 https
www.unece.org/fileadmin/DAM/trans/doc/2018/
dgac10c3/ST-SG-AC.10-C.3-2018-56e.pdf.

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Section 178.505
Section 178.505 prescribes specifications for aluminum drums and paragraph b prescribes the construction requirements for those aluminum drums. PHMSA proposes to add a new paragraph b6 to specify conditions when internal protective coatings or treatments must be applied to these drumsconsistent with requirements for other metal packagings, such as steel drums, as provided in 178.504b7 and aluminum and steel jerricans in 178.511b5. PHMSA agrees that, since metals are susceptible to corrosion from exposure to certain chemicals e.g., sodium hydroxide solution, or alkaline liquids, measures need to be taken to ensure the packaging is compatible with the contents. Further, the general requirements for packagings in the HMR
include a compatibility requirement such that even though certain packagings are specified in the HMR, it is, nevertheless, the responsibility of the person offering a hazardous material for transportation to ensure that such packagings are compatible with their contents. This applies particularly to corrosivity, permeability, softening, premature aging, and embrittlement see 173.24e. Therefore, PHMSA
proposes to add conditions when internal protective coatings or treatments must be applied to metal drums that are not constructed of steel or aluminum. This addition is consistent with international standards covering UN packages 1B1 and 1B2
aluminum drums. PHMSA expects that this proposal will improve consistency with regard to safety standards e.g., packaging integrity across similar packagings.
Section 178.506
Section 178.506 prescribes specifications for metal drums that are not made of steel or aluminum, and paragraph b prescribes the construction requirements for these drums. PHMSA proposes to add a new paragraph b6 to specify conditions when internal protective coatings or treatments must be applied to metal drums that are not constructed of steel or aluminum consistent with this requirement for specifications of other metal packagings. This new requirement would mirror the requirements to apply suitable internal protective coatings or treatments in 178.504b7 for steel drums and 178.511b5 for aluminum and steel jerricans. Since metals are susceptible to corrosion from exposure to certain chemicals e.g., sodium hydroxide solution, or alkaline liquids,
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PHMSA has determined measures need to be taken to ensure the packaging is compatible with the contents. Further, the general requirements for packagings in the HMR include a compatibility requirement such that even though certain packagings are specified in the HMR, it is, nevertheless, the responsibility of the person offering a hazardous material for transportation to ensure that such packagings are compatible with their contents. This applies particularly to corrosivity, permeability, softening, premature aging, and embrittlement see 173.24e. However, PHMSA expects that codifying specific conditions in which internal protective coatings or treatments must be applied to metal drums that are not constructed of steel or aluminum will provide needed consistency by providing uniform safety standards for similar packagings across the HMR and ensure safe packaging and transport within these metal drums.
Section 178.609
Section 178.609 provides test requirements for packagings for infectious substances. PHMSA proposes an editorial amendment in paragraph g to clarify the performance testing requirements for infectious substances packaging. Specifically, PHMSA
proposes to amend paragraph g to clarify that only one additional test is required for packages for infectious substances containing dry ice. The 21st revised edition of the UN Model Regulations made a similar clarification regarding the testing requirements for these packagings and PHMSA has determined that the current HMR also contains conflicting language in 178.609. Currently paragraph g, which specifies additional testing requirement for packagings intended to contain dry ice, may be interpreted to either require five additional samples dropped once each, or one additional sample packaging dropped five times.
However, requiring one sample to be dropped five times in one orientation would not be consistent with drop testing requirements applicable to other packagings. PHMSA proposes to amend paragraph g to clearly state only one additional sample must be dropped in a single orientation; namely, the orientation the tester determines would be most likely to result in failure of the packaging in light of the properties of the packaging and the test surface.
PHMSA does not consider this change to be technical, but editorial, with the intent of conveying the testing protocol, as it was designed, more clearly. For that reason, PHMSA does not expect any change in level of safety than what
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