Cargo transportation of household chemicals, how to choose transport for transporting a range of household chemicals

Household chemicals include a wide range of products for laundry, dishwashing, furniture care, plumbing cleaning, etc. The number of various household chemical products is constantly growing, the number of people using them is also increasing, and the transportation of such goods as household chemicals is on the rise.

Features of transporting household chemicals as cargo

Household chemicals are produced in the form of powders, liquids, pastes, and sprays. Each household chemical product contains a mixture of various chemical substances. Among these substances, there may be hazardous and excise goods, as well as precursors.

Hazardous substances must be transported in accordance with the ADR transportation rules — the European Agreement on such transport. Ethyl alcohol, which is included in some household chemical products, is an excise good, and household chemicals containing it may be subject to excise tax. A number of substances that may be included in household chemicals are raw materials for the production of drugs — precursors. The circulation of such substances is under the jurisdiction of drug control.

A significant portion of household chemical goods can harm human health under certain conditions: ingestion, contact with eyes or open areas of the body, and can also harm the environment when spilled in large quantities or volumes.

The use of substances that destroy the Earth's ozone layer is prohibited in household chemicals. First and foremost, this refers to freon gas, which was previously widely used in aerosols. Currently, most manufacturers have replaced freon with propane. However, by formal characteristics — compressed gas and flammability, aerosol cans with household chemicals are classified as hazardous goods, and their transportation is regulated by the rules for transporting hazardous goods of the ADR classes.

The shipper must provide the carrier with all information about the composition of the transported household chemicals and present all necessary documents for transportation. In international transport of such goods, it is necessary to study the legislation of all countries along the route, as the legal requirements of different states may vary.

Rules for transporting household chemicals

The majority of household chemical goods are transported in packaged and boxed form in factory packaging, in which they are sold to the public. However, packaging plants may be located far from the factories producing the chemicals directly, so they may be transported in bulk in tankers and loose. The following rules must be followed when transporting household chemicals:

• Goods contained in glass bottles and aerosol cans must have packaging divided into cells to protect them from damage.
• The packaging of household chemicals must prevent spillage and leakage.
• It is prohibited to transport household chemicals in the same vehicle with food products, clothing, and footwear.
• Transportation must exclude exposure of household chemicals to atmospheric precipitation and direct sunlight.
• If household chemical goods are classified as hazardous cargo, they must be transported in accordance with ADR rules.
• Factory packaging with household chemicals must be stacked according to regulations. They can be placed on pallets and secured with shrink wrap, secured in the body with straps.
• All cargo in cargo vans and compartments must be secured to prevent shifting and damage during transit.

Transportation of household chemicals by different types of transport

All types of modern cargo transport: aviation, automobiles, railways, and water transport can carry household chemical goods. For road transport, curtainsider or all-metal vans, trailers, and semi-trailers are used. In rare cases, tankers, including isothermal and refrigerated ones, may be used for transporting household chemicals in bulk. Household chemicals can also be transported on car platforms, provided they are placed in a container.

For transporting household chemicals by rail, covered wagons are used. In exceptional cases, household chemicals are transported by rail in tankers in bulk, and in hopper cars for further production of household packaging. The railway also transports such goods in containers.

Water transport, both maritime, mainly carries household chemicals in containers and tank-containers on container ships. Shipments of this product can also be made on bulk carriers.

Aviation rarely transports household chemicals, as this method of cargo delivery is the most expensive. However, there are no technical restrictions on such transport, and if desired, household chemicals can be transported by airplane.

To find a carrier and learn the transportation price, place information about your batch of household chemicals in the “Add cargo” section.