Three options you should know when transporting lithium ion and metal batteries

Lithium-ion and metal batteries are dangerous goods for transport.

Products containing these batteries are also considered dangerous goods.

We have three options here. The transport can be carried out as an ADR exception (transport according to provision 188), as transport of small quantities of dangerous goods (up to 1000 points) or as “full” ADR transport.

Let’s first look at what is meant by transport under special provision 188.

Transport according to the mentioned provision 188 means that the package (the carton containing the batteries) must be marked with the following label:

This applies in the event that the lithium content does not exceed 2 g in metal batteries or 100 Wh in ion batteries. In this case, the orange panels on the vehicle must be closed, as this is an ADR exception. A transport document is NOT required. And the driver does not need an ADR certificate.

But what is important to know in the second case, i.e. the transport of small quantities of dangerous goods (up to 1000 points)?

In this case, the lithium content exceeds 2 g (metal batteries) or 100 Wh (ion batteries). In this case, the package must be marked with ADR sticker no. 9A:

The information on the transport document can be:

UN 3480: LITHIUM ION BATTERIES
UN 3481: LITHIUM ION BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT
UN 3481: LITHIUM ION BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT
UN 3090: LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES
UN 3091: LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES CONTAINED IN EQUIPMENT
UN 3091: LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES PACKED WITH EQUIPMENT 

Now let’s see when we talk about “full” ADR transport. A “full” ADR transport is considered if the following conditions are met:

• The transport documents contain all ADR data (UN number, ADR name, label number, etc.)
• 1000 points have been exceeded (total weight of batteries over 333 kg). In this case, the orange panels on the vehicle must be open. The driver needs an ADR certificate.

If you do not know how to transport batteries or other dangerous goods according to ADR legislation, please write to me at: simona.miklavcic@bens-consulting.eu.

Author of original photo Freepik