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Transportation of dangerous goods classes and index
If you’re not sure if the items you intend to mail are dangerous goods, you should:
- Verify with the manufacturer or supplier
or
- Contact the Canadian Transport Emergency Centre (CANUTEC) by phone at 1‑613‑992‑4624
or
- Visit the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Program website
Please note: Some commodities that contain low concentrations of dangerous goods may not be regulated if you dilute the dangerous goods to such an extent that the product no longer poses a hazard. For example, a flammable liquid that’s diluted so that it’s no longer flammable isn’t a dangerous good unless it falls under any of the 9 classes listed below.
Class 1 – Explosives
- Ammunition and cartridges
- Black powder
- Blasting caps
- Detonators
- Dynamite
- Explosive fuses and igniters
- Fireworks
- Flash powder
- Grenades
- Rocket motors
- Signal flares
- Toy and starting pistol caps
Class 2 – Compressed gases
- Aerosol products (hair sprays, inhalers)
- Bear and dog spray
- Camping stove and BBQ cylinders
- Cigarette lighters
- Cryogenic liquids (nitrogen, helium, and so on)
- Cylinders of compressed gas (oxygen, air, acetylene, butane, propane, carbon dioxide, and so on)
- Fire extinguishers
- Mustard gas
Class 3 – Flammable liquids
- Acetone (nail polish and remover)
- Adhesives (glues)
- Alcohols (butanol, methanol, ethanol, and so on)
- Camping fuel
- Cigarette lighter fuel
- Essential oils (tea tree and eucalyptus oil)
- Furniture stripper
- Gasoline
- Gasoline additives
- Paints, enamels, lacquers, and so on
- Perfume and shaving lotion
- Petroleum products and kerosene
- Thinners
Class 4 – Flammable substances
- Charcoal
- Fire starters
- Flameless Ration Heaters (FRHs)
- Fuel tablets
- Matches
- Metals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorous, and sodium)
- Moth balls
- Oil impregnated fabrics
Class 5 – Oxidizers and organic peroxides
- Ammonium nitrate products (fertilizer)
- Bleaching powders
- Disinfectants
- Fibreglass repair kits
- Hair and textile dyes
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Nitrates
- Organic peroxides
- Oxygen pellets
- Pool chlorine and bromine
Class 6 – Toxic and infectious substances
- Arsenic
- Bacteria and viruses (hepatitis, HIV, and so on)
- Chloroform
- Disinfectants
- Drugs and medicine
- Fungicides
- Herbicides
- Infectious diagnostic specimens (blood samples)
- Used needles and swabs
Class 7 – Radioactive materials
- Measuring instruments
- Medical isotopes
- Smoke detectors
Class 8 – Corrosives
- Acids (hydrochloric, sulphuric, nitric, muriatic, and so on)
- Battery acid
- Caustic soda
- Cleaners
- Disinfectants
- Drain openers
- Dyes
- Etching fluid
- Fire extinguishers
- Formaldehyde
- Household bleaches
- Mercury
- Mercury thermometers and blood pressure gauges
- Oven cleaners
- Paint or varnish remover
- Potassium hydroxide
- Rust removers
- Self Heating Beverages (SHBs)
- Soda lime
- Sodium hydroxide
Class 9 - Miscellaneous
- Air bags
- Asbestos
- Carbon dioxide solids
- Dry ice
- Gas filled shock absorbers
- Lithium batteries (with or without device)
- Gasoline powered devices - even without gasoline (lawn mowers, chain saws, weed cutters, motorcycles, and so on)
- Self-inflating life preservers
- Strong magnets
Please note:
This index has examples of common dangerous goods. It’s not an exhaustive list. The index doesn’t necessarily include items designated as non-mailable matter under our regulations. For example, knives that have been improperly prepared for mailing.