When most people think of hazmat material, they imagine something like a nuclear reactor or a biochemical weapon. However, some surprisingly mundane products can be considered hazardous on Amazon. In this blog post, we'll take a look at some of the more surprising items regarded as hazmat on Amazon, and we'll discuss why these products might be classified as such. We'll also provide tips for business owners who need to ship these products to do so safely and within the bounds of the law.
Hazardous materials, also known as hazmat, refer to substances that pose a risk to people, property, or the environment due to their chemical, physical, or biological nature. These can include:
Proper identification, classification, packaging, labeling, storage, and shipping of hazmat is crucial to prevent harm. Mishandling can result in chemical burns, fires, explosions, poisoning, radiation exposure, environmental damage, and more.
Amazon requires sellers to comply with all regulations related to hazmat products. This builds trust with customers by ensuring safety.
If you want to sell hazmat goods on Amazon, you must:
You'll also need to submit items for Amazon's dangerous goods review process. Some products are prohibited, like compressed gases, explosives, flammables, and toxic chemicals.
Follow these tips for safely managing hazmat products with Amazon FBA:
Hazmat products require careful handling to prevent harm, which is why Amazon has strict policies around them. As a seller, make sure you understand and comply with all regulations to keep customers safe.
Recommended: Top Amazon Categories 2021
Amazon defines hazmat as products that pose risks due to flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive, oxidizing, infectious, radioactive, or other hazardous properties. This includes common chemicals, cleaners, batteries, gases, fuels, etc.
No, certain categories like explosives, compressed gases, flammables, radioactive materials, and poisons are completely prohibited for sale on Amazon.
You must correctly label containers, keep products properly segregated and stored safely away from people and ignition sources, not allow opened packages on site, and ship using approved hazmat transportation methods per regulations.
If you want to sell hazmat products through Amazon FBA, you need to submit items for a special review to get approved. This involves providing details on classifications, packaging, storage, transportation methods, safety data, and compliance.
Yes, failing to comply with hazmat regulations around labeling, storage, transportation, record-keeping, licensing, etc. can result in major fines or even criminal charges in some cases.
Consult hazard classification resources like Safety Data Sheets, Amazon's Product Classification Guidelines, the GHS system, OSHA, DOT, EPA, and other regulatory agencies to identify and categorize the hazards posed by the products.
Tips include enrolling in the Dangerous Goods Program, using proper compatible packaging, separating chemicals into approved storage areas by hazard class, double-checking all labels/signage, and working closely with hazmat authorities to ensure full compliance.