Dangerous goods : Transport by post of equipment containing lithium batteries (ECLB)

 The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) amended the 2013–2014 edition of the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air to allow such transport from 1 January 2013.

Given the dangers that lithium batteries pose to air transport, designated postal operators wishing to transport ECLB need to fulfill 2 conditions:

• have procedures and training for controlling the acceptance of mail items containing dangerous goods destined for air transport;
• obtain specific approval from their national civil aviation authority prior to accepting and transporting ELCB.

List of authorized DOs

Since designated postal operators, national aviation authorities and airlines need to know which Posts have been approved to make ECLB shipments so that they can plan the handling of such shipments, the UPU provides a list of designated postal operators that have been authorized to ship ECLB, the dates from which they have been authorized to make these shipments, and other related information.

The list is shared with ICAO and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) so that national authorities and airlines are kept fully informed about Posts authorized to ship ECLB. Posts that have received such authorization are requested to communicate this fact to the International Bureau by filling in the relevant form and e-mailing it.

Source : http://www.upu.int