Pricing & Classification DMM Advisory
June 29, 2023
Don’t Mail Mercury – USPS Publication 52: Hazardous, Restricted, & Perishable Mail
The Postal Service is reminding customers that metallic mercury and devices containing metallic mercury are always prohibited in the mail stream. This includes antique items such as thermometers, barometers, blood pressure monitors and similar devices.
Here’s what you should do:
- Review USPS Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, & Perishable Mail, to find out if your item is mailable.
- Follow U.S. laws and USPS hazmat guidelines.
- Ship items securely with required labels and markings. You can take your package to a Post Officelocation to make sure it is labeled correctly.
Improper, undeclared, or prohibited hazmat (hazardous material) shipping can have serious consequences for everyone involved.
The Postal Service is committed to the safety and security of its employees, its customers, and its transportation networks. We must remain vigilant in safeguarding the mail stream against any article that might pose a hazard to health, safety, property, or the environment.
If a person knowingly mails items or materials that are dangerous or injurious to life, health, or property, they may face a civil penalty of at least $250, but not more than $100,000 per violation, the costs of any cleanup associated with each violation, and damages. They may also face criminal penalties.
Reminder: Effective July 9, USPS will require Electronic Indicators when shipping Hazardous Materials (HAZMAT) and Dangerous Goods (DG). Publication 52, Hazardous, Restricted, and Perishable Mail (Pub 52) will be revised to incorporate new requirements for mailers to use unique Service Type Codes (STCs) and extra service codes (ESCs) within the tracking barcodes and electronic data submission for package shipments containing HAZMAT or DG.
Additional tools: Tutorial on sending hazardous materials: Hazmat Shipping Safety
Public service announcement on mercury: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wriu99Z01r8
Commonly Encountered Mercury
| Description of Item | Mailability of Item |
|---|---|
| Liquid mercury — Often encountered in a wide range of volumes. Reasons for sending include uses for gold reclamation/refinement, preparation of dental amalgams, and element collections. | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e |
| Mercury barometer — These devices often contain significant amounts of mercury that are not well contained.They have been responsible for several leaks. (Note: Fully digital versions are mailable without restrictions.) | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e |
| Mercury thermometer — These items may contain significant amounts of mercury in breakable containment (glass). [Modern versions (i.e., digital and those using red liquid, which is alcohol to which red coloring has been added) are mailable without restrictions.] | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e |
| Mercury sphygmomanometer (blood pressure gauge) — These devices may contain significant amounts of mercury in breakable containment (glass). (Note- Fully digital versions are mailable without restrictions.) | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e |
| Mercury switch — May exist in a small enough size to get below the 100 mg. limit; however, this would be the exception rather than the rule. If you can see the mercury, it is not mailable. | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e, may encounter some that adhere to Section 348.22g |
| Mercury relay — May exist in a small enough size to get below the 100 mg. limit; however, this would be the exception rather than the rule. If you can see the mercury, it is not mailable. | Domestic Ground – Prohibited Prohibited as per Section 348.21e, may encounter some that adhere to Section 348.22g. |
| Compact fluorescent lamps — These items contain small amounts of mercury vapor. If broken, there will be no visible mercury and the vapors will readily disperse. | Domestic Ground – Mailable Mailable as per Section 348.22g. |