In a final action taken largely in response to a petition it received in 2008, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has issued a final rule establishing a new section (49 CFR 173.157) in its hazardous materials regulations (HMRs) covering reverse logistics highway shipments of certain hazardous materials hazardous materials.
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According to PHMSA, the regulations are tailored to the consumer and retail environment while at the same time addressing the risk associated with shipments from retail operations that unknowingly return articles containing undeclared hazardous materials hazardous materials to the product manufacturer or distributor.
Also in response to a petition, the final rule contains an expansion of the existing regulatory exemption at 49 CFR 173.159 for return shipments of used automobile batteries transported between a retail facility and a recycling center.