[NHCOLL-L:3925] RE: FedEX again... Harmonization code for preserved museum specimens
Bentley, Andrew Charles
abentley at ku.edu
Thu Jul 24 10:00:00 EDT 2008
Hi Alistair
I am well aware of the IATA and DOT (US domestic) regulations governing small and excepted quantities and have been working very closely with both organizations to try and find a resolution to our problems for some time now. We too have been using these regulations to ship internationally but run up against numerous problems, including not being able to ship to various countries as FedEx does not have the authority to ship internally within those countries and the fact that it is cost prohibitive for many smaller museums and collections. We are working with DOT and IATA to try and have our shipments deemed non-dangerous and outside of the scope of IATA 2.7. We have had some positive progress but are not all the way there yet.
With respect to A58 - I would caution strongly against using this method for shipping specimens. The changes in concentration and thus osmotic pressure of the specimens can cause extensive damage to specimens over the long term. In a single shipment the specimen will be exposed to changing from 70% (original fluid) to 20% (shipping fluid) to 70% (destination fluid) to 20% (shipping fluid for return) to 70% (back to original fluid) in a very short period of time. Who knows how many times this will happen for well used specimens that are loaned on more than one occasion. The shrinking and swelling of the specimen caused by changes in alcohol concentration can rupture cell walls, break down tissue and eventually destroy the specimen. The scary part is that most of these changes are internal and are not at first visible until it is too late. We have steered clear of this option and have been warding others away from it too (some people even use water which is even worse!!!).
With one or two trials already having been processed it appears as if harmonization code 9705 works great for our shipments. The major incentive for using this code is that it covers all disciplines and can be used as a blanket code by all.
Hope that helps
Andy
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Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager/Specify Usability Lead
University of Kansas
Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center
Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
USA
Tel: (785) 864-3863
Fax: (785) 864-5335
Email: ABentley at ku.edu
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________________________________
From: Alastair.Graham at csiro.au [mailto:Alastair.Graham at csiro.au]
Sent: Wednesday, July 23, 2008 6:41 PM
To: Bentley, Andrew Charles
Subject: RE: [NHCOLL-L:3921] FedEX again... Harmonization code for preserved museum specimens
Dear Andy
It certainly has become more difficult to ship (mail or courier) natural history specimens in dangerous goods. There are two options when shipping specimens originally preserved in 70% ethanol:
* If shipped in the original 70% ethanol, you can use the "excepted quantity" provisions of the IATA DG Regulations, i.e. the inner packages must not contain more than 30 ml and the combined package quantity must not exceed 500 ml. An "Excepted Quantities Label" (p 21 of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations - 48th edition) must be attached to the outside of the package. One downside of this is that the packer must be trained to an IATA-accepted standard and the packaging materials must be approved for use with DG.
* The other option is to use Special Provision A58 of the IATA DG Regulations (p 311) which says, "an aqueous solution containing 24% or less alcohol by volume is not subject to these Regulations". I (and many other museum fish departments in Australia and overseas) use this provision as a simple work around and thus package all specimens in 20% ethanol prior to transporting via air (when using either post or courier).
I note with interest the suggested use of harmonised code 9705.00 (= Collections and collectors' pieces of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, palaeontological, or ethnographic interest) when shipping natural history specimens. For the past two years or so, I have shipped (via FedEx) fish muscle samples from Australia to Canada. The samples were originally preserved in 95% ethanol, however for shipping we have drained off the fluid. Each time, I have used harmonised code 0511.91 (= Animal products; of fish or crustaceans, molluscs or other aquatic invertebrates and dead animals of chapter 3, unfit for human consumption). Obviously the use of this code is inappropriate for terrestrial invertebrates, birds, reptiles, mammals etc. In which case, I presume that 9705.00 would be appropriate.
I should say that we send almost all specimens via post (rarely via courier), in 20% ethanol. While muscle samples are sent (post or courier) in either 20% ethanol or ethanol drained-off.
Cheers
Al
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Alastair (Al) Graham
Fish Collection Manager
Australian National Fish Collection
CSIRO Marine & Atmospheric Research Ph: (03) 6232 5222
GPO Box 1538 Int: (61-3) 6232 5222
Hobart Tas 7001 Fax: (03) 6232 5000
AUSTRALIA Int: (61-3) 6232 5000
E-mail: Alastair.Graham at csiro.au
Division website: http://www.cmar.csiro.au <http://www.cmar.csiro.au>
______________________________________________
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu <mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu> ] On Behalf Of Bentley, Andrew Charles
Sent: Wednesday, 23 July 2008 7:10 AM
To: NHCOLL-L
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:3921] FedEX again... Harmonization code for preserved museum specimens
Hi all
Further to my first two postings, I received a query about the harmonization code to be used when processing an international shipment through FedEx and truing to find what paperwork to include. I decided to go to the source of the harmonization codes to get a ruling and the response is below...
This is the code that should be entered for all museum preserved or non-preserved specimens when shipping internationally using FedEx AND UPS.
Hope this helps
Andy
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Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager/Specify Usability Lead University of Kansas Natural History Museum & Biodiversity Research Center Dyche Hall 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561 USA
Tel: (785) 864-3863
Fax: (785) 864-5335
Email: ABentley at ku.edu
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-----Original Message-----
From: carol.ann.aristone at census.gov [mailto:carol.ann.aristone at census.gov <mailto:carol.ann.aristone at census.gov> ]
Sent: Tuesday, July 22, 2008 3:11 PM
To: Bentley, Andrew Charles
Cc: paul.e.herrick at census.gov
Subject: Fw: Harmonization code for preserved museum specimens
Hello Mr. Bentley,
I believe your products would be classified under subheading 9705.00, specifically Schedule B number 9705.00.0090 which is for Collections and collectors' pieces of zoological, botanical, mineralogical, anatomical, historical, archaeological, palaeontological, or ethnographic interest.
Please do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any other questions.
Thank you,
Carol Aristone
Commodity Analysis Branch
Foreign Trade Division
301.763.7062
301.763.4347 (Fax)
www.census.gov/trade <file:///\\www.census.gov\trade>
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