Hazardous Goods / UN Certified

Which Hazardous Goods Packaging UK Shippers Need for Small Loads and Full UN Shipments

Dangerous goods packaging falls into two groups. Small amounts in limited quantities can travel in strong, well-made cartons. Everything else requires UN-certified packaging. We make the cartons for the first group, and overpacks that hold UN-certified inner packs for the second. Typical loads are cleaning concentrates, aerosols, paints, adhesives, and lab reagents.

• Limited quantity cartons in double wall boxes, sized to hold the packed weight under 30 kg gross, with box dividers to hold each inner pack.
• Fitted inserts in corrugated board or foam for glass bottles and ampoules.

Do You Need UN-Approved Packaging? How Limited Quantity Rules Work

UN-approved packaging UK rules apply to most dangerous goods. Each UN entry sets its own inner limit. Take printing ink UN 1210 as an example. Packing group I allows 500 ml per inner pack, while custom packing group III allows 5 litres. Keep the whole carton under 30 kg gross and put the LQ mark on the outside. Go past those limits, and the packaging has to be a UN-certified design. You’ll see the UN symbol on it, then a code like UN 4G, a fibreboard box, and a letter showing which packing groups it can carry. The VCA Dangerous Goods Office certifies these designs in the UK. Air and sea don’t follow ADR.

How Our Cartons Keep Inner Packs Still in Transit

In combination packaging, the weak point is the inner closure, not the outer box. A cap that feels tight on the frame can work loose after hours of vibration. The carton’s job is to support the bottles from turning and knocking together. For one bottle, custom bottle carrier boxes are a better fit than a full carton. Sample cartons go through a filled stack test before a run is released.

• Dividers cut to fit each inner pack.