Two draft standards which relate to dangerous goods were notified to the World Trade Organization by the Standardization Administration of China (SAC) on 10 October. The WTO has until 10 December to comment on both.
GB 12268 List of Dangerous Goods
Draft standard GB 12268-2011 List of Dangerous Goods includes mandatory categories and the list of dangerous goods and applies to the transport, storage, production, management, usage and handling of dangerous goods. It is due to be adopted on 10 January 2012 to replace the previous GB 12268-2005. New GB 12268 is technically consistent with Part 3 (Dangerous goods list, special provisions and exceptions) of UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations (16th revised edition).
Chapter 4 (except 4.2 and 4.6) and chapter 6 (except the column of special provisions in Table 1) are compulsory; the remainder is recommended.
Major modifications on the old version:
-classify dangerous goods in accordance with GB 6944-2011;
-restructure and expand the old version, add a column of "special provisions" to the list of dangerous goods;
-cancel the column of "remarks" for the list of dangerous goods;
-adjust the list in accordance with the UN Model Regulation;
-cancel the parts of "explosives compatibility group classification method", "explosives dangerous division (under category)" and "hazard priority of dangerous goods" and etc.;
-list "categories or not otherwise specified dangerous goods" and "special provisions applicable to certain goods or substances" in the regulatory appendix;
-add an index.
GB 6944 Classification and Code of Dangerous Goods
Draft standard GB 6944-2011 Classifications and Code of Dangerous Goods includes mandatory classification (including "category", "division" and "packing category"), hazard priority, and codes of dangerous goods. It is due to come into effect on 10 July 2012 to replace the previous GB 6944-2005. New GB 6944 is technically consistent with Part 2 (Classification) of UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods - Model Regulations (16th revised edition).
Chapter 4, 5 and 6 of this Standard are compulsory; the remainder is recommended.
Major modifications on the old version:
-revise terminology and definition, criteria of dangerous goods category/division;
-add the part of explosives compatibility group classification and combination;
-add the hazard priority of dangerous goods;
-add the category of dangerous goods package.
Classification of Dangerous Goods
GB 6944 classifies dangerous goods into 9 categories: Class 1- explosives, Class 2- gases, Class 3- flammable liquids, Class 4- flammable solids, spontaneous combustible substances and substances which in contact with water emit flammable gases, Class 5- oxidizing substances and organic peroxides, Class 6- toxic and infectious substances, Class 7- radioactive materials, Class 8- corrosive substances, and Class 9- Miscellaneous dangerous substances and goods, including substances harmful to the environment.
| Category | Dangerous Goods | Division Code |
| Class 1 | Substance and articles that; | |
have a hazard of a hazard of mass detonation; | 1.1 | |
have a hazard of projection but of no mass explosion hazard; | 1.2 | |
have a hazard of fire and of either a minor blast or minor projection or both, but of no mass explosion hazard; | 1.3 | |
| present no significant hazard; | 1.4 | |
| are very insensitive and have a hazard of mass explosion; | 1.5 | |
are extremely insensitive and have no mass explosion hazard; | 1.6 | |
| Class 2 | Flammable gases; | 2.1 |
| Non-flammable and non-toxic gases; | 2.2 | |
| Toxic gases | 2.3 | |
| Class 3 | Flammable liquids | 3 |
| Class 4 | Flannable solids,self-reactive substances and solid desensitized explosives; | 4.1 |
| Substances liabke to spontaneous combustion; | 4.2 | |
Substances which in contact with wateer emit flammable gases; | 4.3 | |
| Class 5 | Oxidizing substances; | 5.1 |
| Organic peroxides; | 5.2 | |
| Class 6 | Toxic substances; | 6.1 |
| Infectious substances; | 6.2 | |
| Class 7 | Radioactive materials; | 7 |
| Class 8 | Corrosive substances; | 8 |
| Class 9 | Miscellaneous dangerous substances, including substances harmful to the environment. | 9 |
For the purpose of package, substances in except for Class 1, 2, 7, 5.2 and 6.2 as well as the in 4.1, are classified into 3 package categories: Class I package for substances of high hazards; Class II package for substances of medium hazards; Class III package for substances of low hazards.
Structure of Dangerous Good List
The List of Dangerous Goods is composed of 7 columns.
UN Number | Name and Description | English Name | Category or Division | Minor Hazard | Package Category | Special Provisions |
UN Number: code of the dangerous goods identified in accordance with the United Nations classification system, from 0004 to 3495.
Name and Description: the Chinese official name of the dangerous goods.
English Name: the English official name of the dangerous goods, in capitalization; supplementary description are un-capitalized.
Category and Division: Main hazard of the dangerous goods. Category class 1 still covers the compatibility group to which the dangerous goods belong. Categories or divisions as well as the explosives compatibility group are identified in accordance with GB 6944.
Minor hazard: category or division of the dangerous goods in addition to its main hazard, identified in accordance with GB 6944.
Package category: identified in accordance with GB 6944.
Special Provisions: any special provisions related to the dangerous goods or substances, applicable to the package of certain goods or substances.
