UNITED

NATIONS	ST

Secretariat	Distr.

GENERAL

ST/SG/AC.10/1998/31

24 September 1998

Original: ENGLISH
COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON THE

TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

(Twentieth session,

Geneva, 7-16 December l998,

agenda item 2 (c)(ii))

WORK OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE OF EXPERTS ON

THE TRANSPORT OF DANGEROUS GOODS

Draft amendments to the Model Regulations

on the Transport of Dangerous Goods

Listing and Classification

Comments on ST/SG/AC.10/C.3/1998/51

COPPER SULPHATE, SOLID OR SOLUTION

Transmitted by the Expert from Canada

Background

1.	At the 15th Session of the Sub-Committee the expert from Germany proposed to place Copper sulphate, solid or solution, in Class 6.1 on the basis of toxicological data other than that relating to oral ingestion by rats. Although the expert from Germany said that his proposal was mainly based on human experience, the Sub-Committee requested further information.

GE.98-

Discussion

2.	In paragraph 6 of his proposal the expert from Germany points out that solutions containing copper ions can have a strong toxic effect on aquatic life. Under the criteria in RID/ADR and the IMDG Code, Copper sulphate could be considered as an environmentally hazardous substance. In the spirit of harmonization, it is the Canadian view that this is the way forward.

3.	Further, the proposed new Shipping Name is too general. It includes both Copper(I) and Copper(II) sulphate as well as their "anhydrous" variants. These latter compounds could be included in other Classes by virtue of other properties such as their exothermic heats of solution. The Committee is also reminded that all new chemical listings are to have International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) names.

Proposal

4.	Add the following new Shipping Name to the List of Dangerous Goods in Chapter 3.2.

"33XX	COPPER(II) SULPHATE PENTAHYDRATE	9	III"

or COPPER(II) SULPHATE SOLUTION

5.	Add the following entry to the INDEX.

"Copper sulphate pentahydrate solution, see.....................UN 33XX"

__________________________________