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Dangerous Goods

Introduction

Dangerous goods are subject to transport, workplace, storage, consumer and environment protection regulations, to prevent accidents to persons, property or the environment, to other goods or to the means of transport employed.

To ensure consistency between all these regulatory systems, the United Nations has developed mechanisms for the harmonization of hazard classification criteria and communication tools, and for transport conditions for all modes for transport. UNECE also administers regional agreements for effective implementation of these mechanisms for road, rail and inland waterways transport of dangerous goods.

In focus

The amendments to the Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (ADR) adopted in 2022, 2023 and 2024 by the Working Party on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (WP.15) were notified to the ADR Contracting Parties on 1 July 2024.

They should enter into force on 1 January 2025.

See depositary notifications CN.218.2024-Eng.pdf (un.org)

The consolidated lists of amendments ECE/TRANS/WP.15/265 and Corr 1 and ECE/TRANS/WP.15/265/Add.1 contain the proposed changes.

The key purpose of ADR is to ensure safety during the transport of dangerous goods and to minimize the risk and consequences of accidents during transport operations. ADR provisions are the result of more than 50 years of best practices in the transport of dangerous goods on roads.

A revised edition of ADR including these amendments (ADR 2025) is in press and is expected in Autumn 2024. Printed versions and electronic editable versions will be available for sale at the United Nations Publications section.