DOT transport classification

Sodium hypochlorite solution: DOT classification

Sodium hypochlorite solution does not have a UN number that changes at a stated concentration. Under 49 CFR 172.101 the packing group is assigned by test criteria, not by percentage — see below for what decides it and how Alliance Chemical's own grades are classified.

CAS 7681-52-9 · Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table; packing group per 49 CFR 173.137

Why there is no percentage cutoff

UN1791 is Class 8 ONLY — despite hypochlorite being an oxidizer, §172.101 assigns no 5.1 subsidiary. Packing group follows 49 CFR 173.137 corrosivity, not a percentage; strengths around 10-16% available chlorine typically ship PG II. Note these percentages are AVAILABLE CHLORINE, not weight of sodium hypochlorite.

How Alliance Chemical's grades are classified

Each classification below is the verified value for that product, not an inference from its strength.
UN numberClassPacking groupProducts
UN17918IIISodium Hypochlorite 1% Technical Grade in a 1-gallon plastic jug, Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 1%Sodium Hypochlorite 2% Technical Grade in a 1-gallon plastic jug, Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 2%Sodium Hypochlorite 3% Technical Grade solution in a 1-gallon plastic jug from Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 3%Sodium Hypochlorite 5.25% Water Treatment Grade in a 1-gallon plastic jug for water treatment, Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 5.25%Sodium Hypochlorite 6% technical grade solution in a 1-gallon plastic jug by Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 6%Sodium Hypochlorite 8.25% Technical Grade in a 1-gallon white plastic jug, Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 8.25%Sodium hypochlorite 10% technical grade in a 1-gallon white plastic jug from Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 10%Sodium Hypochlorite 12.5% Water Treatment Grade in a 1-gallon jug for wastewater odor control and industrial bleaching, Alliance ChemicalSodium Hypochlorite 12.5%

How to read this

  • Percentages are by mass. 49 CFR 172.101 thresholds are w/w, but product labels often state volume (v/v). Near a cutoff the two can fall on opposite sides, so confirm the basis before classifying a shipment.
  • Products listed are verified individually. A product appears in a band only when its own reviewed classification matches it. Where a product's classification is still under review, we leave it out rather than infer it from the table.
  • This page is a reference, not a shipping paper. Classification for an actual shipment depends on packaging, quantity and mode; consult the current eCFR entry and the product's safety data sheet.

Source

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table; packing group per 49 CFR 173.137. Reference text: “Sodium/other hypochlorite bleach. HMT entry carries PG II and PG III; assignment by corrosivity. Stronger solutions (e.g. ~10-16% available chlorine) typically PG II; weaker PG III. Despite being an oxidizer, the 49 CFR entry is Class 8 only - NO 5.1 subsidiary.”

All DOT classification references