November is HAZMAT Awareness Month

To protect the health and safety of the public and our employees, the Postal Service™ has developed specific procedures for safeguarding, identifying, and handling and delivering hazardous materials (HAZMAT). Due to several recent incidents of non-mailable HAZMAT in the mailstream, the Postal Service has designated November as HAZMAT Awareness Month to highlight these issues.

Lithium battery fires (exceeding the 100-watt-hour limit) and mercury and corrosive liquid spills in packages continue to pose a threat. There has been an increase in undeclared HAZMAT, such as items that do not display the required markings or are improperly packaged mailable HAZMAT — or both.

These includes the following:

n Liquids with no absorbent material.

n Mercury.

n Aerosol cans in non-rigid packaging.

n Reused boxes with former markings that are still visible.