Mailing batteries in Canada

[Yukon_72]

Any one else ever had problems receiving batteries sent via mail- Canada Post to or in Canada. I just had some NiMh batteries seized by Canada Customs as they said they were dangereous goods and unmailable. I am chocked. Top it off they said they can not return to sender and willbe destroyed.
It took them 2 months to inform me as the batteies were shipped Nov. 17 and i just recieved the letter.
Any way know what the mail regulations are??

 

[mattheww50]

As far as i know, sealed NiCd or NiMh batteries are not considered hazardous (essentially anything larger than CR123 lithium is now considered hazardous goods because of the lithium content, and energy density). This produces some truly amazing situations. I am trying to ship an EPIRB by Air.
Cannot be done except via Fedex as Hazmat. What is so ironic is that every aircraft that flies overwater is required to carry these things and the Lithium batteries that go with them. So they have to be on board as equipment, but you cannot carry them as freight.

However back to your question, I am unable to find anything in Canada Post regulations that restricts these batteries.
see http://www.canadapost.ca/common/tools/pg/manual/b07t2-e.asp

There is a restriction that you cannot ship wet cell . storage batteries, but that's it. They aren't sealed.

Generally surface transportation is less troublesome than air transport.

MOre likely you are dealing with a somewhat overzealous customs inspection. I'd ask for the guy to quote a specific regulation. If he cannot, appeal to his supervisor.

One of the reasons these products are sealed is so they can be easily shipped.

I've run into some Customs inspectors who were more than a bit overzealous (and I let their superiors deal with them, in one case a call from US State Department's Office of Munitions control told the inspector he was just plain wrong, and since OMC was the ultimate USA authority on the matter, that was the end of the discussion. (OMC controls a lot of things other than munitions)

 

[robstarr-lite]

how did you package them, in original box or loose?

did you identify them as batteries or "flashlight with batteries".....i am interested as i have one rechargable battery set i'm selling on ebay and had some canadian inquiries........

in the recent past i have sent batteries to relatives in canada...for any shipment i always marked packages as gifts...example sent some toys with batteries but just identified box as a "toy gift"....(plus i keep the value low)

mattheww50's advice sounds reasonable


rob

 

[batterystation]

I am not sure if that was the order I shipped or not, but I just had one done that way. NiMH 4/3A cells. NOT Hazmat. You are dealing with ignorance. If anyone ever runs into this, goto www.sanyobatteries.com and cut and paste the MSDS (material safety data sheet) and take that to them. They will have to then have another reason to hold them as ignorance will no longer be an option. That just burns my butt. I wish they would contact the shipper as having broke a law. Then it could be handled on this end as well.
We ship to other countries daily. Once in a blue moon do we run into this sort of thing, but having done a lot of trade shows in Toronto, I know how customs officials can be.

 

[Yukon_72]

Yes this was your order. I am still fighting with these pencil necks and hope to get to the bottom of this.They are unable to show me we where. have talked to about 6 people. Gave them more documenatation today. In Canada Post regulations they have blanket batteries as a no for mailing in Canada. A big problem has been trying to talk to the correct people and get the documentation to them. I live 3000 km away from were everything is happening.

 

[gwbaltzell]

It would appear that all batteries are non-mailable, as are all barometers. Why barometers, well one type of barometer is a column of mercury. Never mind that for most of recent history most barometers contain nothing hazardous. Note wet and lithium batteries have their own entries. If all batteries are banned then why these entries?

From canadapost.ca Section B Chap. 7 - Non-mailable matter<ul type="square">[*]Barometers (Baromètres) 2809 8
[*]Batteries (Accumulateurs) 3292 4.3
[*]Batteries, acid or alkali (wet)
(Accumulateurs, acides ou alcalins – liquides) 2794/2795 8
[*]Batteries, battery fluid
(Accumulateurs, électrolytes liquides) 2794 8
[*]Batteries, lithium
(Accumulateurs, piles au lithium) 1415 7439-93-2 9.1[/list]

Don't try to mail this watch to Canada, it has both a barometer and a lithium battery!

Note: The aneroid barometer was invented by a Frenchman, Lucien Vidie, in 1843.

 

[gwbaltzell]

Decided to check US regs. and they are prohibited. The Canada Post list should have read:
"Batteries (Accumulateurs), containing sodium 3292 1310-73-2 4.3"

from USPS Pub. 52

"Batteries, containing sodium 4.3 UN3292 II Prohibited"

other rules for batteries seem to be in section 348.2

also of interest:
"Lithium batteries packed with equipment 9 UN3091 II Prohibited"

UPS requires a exemption label for air shipment.

 

[Yukon_72]

sure getting the run around on this matter. Now talking with my MP to see if changes can be made so others do not have to suffer same fate. I am told they are not dangereous goods but are not mailable as Customs cannot tell if they are dangerous goods or not.
My advice do not sent batteries to Canada via mail system.

 

[gwbaltzell]

I think both Post Canada and US Post Office either mis-understood the UN recommendations or took the easy way out and banned anything that required thinking.

It took a bit of searching but I finally found a copy of what I think was the origin of these rules: a UN document, this copy, the DoD version, in pdf format is on the US Army site. If I read it correctly it says for ground transport the batteries must be packed according to the following rules. The first is for batteries containing sodium, the second lithium.

P408 Packing Instructions
* For cells, the certified outer packaging conforming to packing group II with sufficient cushioning material to prevent contact between cells, contact with the outer packaging, and movement within the packaging during transport
Batteries--
a. Will be protected from short circuit.
b. May be transported unpackaged or in protected enclosures (such as crates) that are not required to be U.N.-certified.
c. Will not be transported in a way that terminals are used to support the weight of other batteries or any other materials packaged with the batteries.
This only applies to UN 3292.


P903 Packing Instructions (note)
* Batteries will be protected from short circuit.
* Certified packaging conforming to packing group II will be used.
* When lithium cells or batteries are packed with equipment--
a. The cells or batteries will be packed in inner packing group II fiberboard packagings.
b. The equipment will be packed in strong outer packaging in such a manner that accidental operation is prevented during carriage.
NOTE: Only applies to UN 3090 and UN 3091.


_____
Limited info. was found on this UN site

 

[batterystation]

I have never run into this with Canada. This is unreal. I have shipped about 100 "battery" orders a year to Canada for the last several years. Never this bad. Please keep me posted with anything I can do.

 

[Siriuslite]

My shipment of 123's was just seized by Canada Customs and I doubt I'll get them back.

Kevin, I wouldn't ship any more batteries to Canada. Your customers may never get them with Canada Customs acting so rigidly.

 

[wasabe64]

Hmmm,

I have a pamphlet from Canada post that outlines what mattheww50 points out - wet cell batteries are considered hazardous materiel. The only other thing that they mention is that batteries should not be installed in any electronic device while in transit.

siriuslite, it looks you've had the unfortunate privilege of having your parcel cross the wrong inspector's desk.

 

[PeteBroccolo]

[ QUOTE ]
siriuslite said:
My shipment of 123's was just seized by Canada Customs and I doubt I'll get them back.

Kevin, I wouldn't ship any more batteries to Canada. Your customers will never get them.

[/ QUOTE ]
Can you call them to find out which CBSA office is holding them? Maybe it is a case of just going there to pick them up?

 

[Siriuslite]

I'm still waiting to hear back Customs and Transport Canada. Everybody is playing the blame game. Customs said they're following Canada Post orders and sent them to them. Canada Post says they don't have them and its a Customs issue. They also said Transport Canada sets the rules that both of them must obey.

At the end of the day, I don't know who has them now


I did find this on T.C'.s website. section 34 - I hope it's the ammunition I need

http://www.tc.gc.ca/acts-regulations/general/t/tdg/regulations/tdg001/schedule_2.htm

 

[batterystation]

As I stated in the email to you earlier, we have only had this happen twice in the last three years. The first time was NiMH batteries. Unfortunately you are dealing with an ignorant customs official. Those batteries (all we ship to Canada for that matter) are NOT hazardous material and they should know this. You need to make sure you let them know that these batteries are NOT classified as Hazmat and they should hand over your batteries. (unless of course they have a flashlight that uses them) Last time this happened, they contacted me directly and we worked it out. Dry cell batteries is the key word to use with them.

Forgot to mention-We ship batteries to Canada almost every day of the week now. Everything from lithiums, Nimh, to gel cells. No trouble.

 

[Greg]

Oh darn, I was just about to order some batteries, I guess they won't get through.

How about if they are shipped by Ground, is that alright.

Also, I have a relative coming up to Canada soon, is it still alright for them to transport them themselves and give them to me?

 

[BatteryCharger]

I just shipped a couple packages of lithium ions to canada. I haven't heard if the people got them, but they haven't complained yet that they haven't. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif I wrote "lithium batteries" for package contents...the lady at the post office didn't have a problem with it.

 

[greg_in_canada]

To minimize customs problems you might want to
write "dry cell batteries (lithium)" so they
don't get wet cells into their heads.

Greg

 

[BatteryCharger]

[ QUOTE ]
greg_in_canada said:
To minimize customs problems you might want to
write "dry cell batteries (lithium)" so they
don't get wet cells into their heads.

Greg

[/ QUOTE ]

Or just write "bottle caps". /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[greg_in_canada]

Do you mean Pogs? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

Seriously though, I don't believe in asking the shipper
to lie about the contents or value.

Greg