Class 6.1 / 6.2 - Toxic and Infectious substances

Class 6.1 – Toxics

These are chemical poisons that can damage the human body, in whole or in part. They must not be allowed to get inside the body, through swallowing, breathing in, or by absorption through the skin.

The toxics range in power from those which kill in minutes, e.g. the cyanides, to those which would injure but not necessarily kill, so long as the dose were not excessive, e.g. the chlorinated hydrocarbons Toxics in Class 6.1 can be in solid or liquid form. Toxic gases are in Class 2.3.

Generally 6.1 should not be must not be carried with foodstuffs, however there are exceptions.

Class 6.2 – Infectious substances

Division 6.2 goods contain pathogens, i.e. micro-organisms that cause infectious disease in humans or animals. They are graded for danger for transport into one of three groups, of which only the first two are considered dangerous for transport on infectious grounds.

Category A: Capable of causing permanent disability, life threatening or fatal disease to humans or animals. These are assigned to UN 2814. Some examples being:

• Ebola Virus
• Hepatitis B Virus
• Lassa Virus
• Rabies Virus

Infectious substances which cause disease only in animals are assigned to UN 2900. Some examples are:

• African Horse sickness virus
• Foot & Mouth disease virus
• Sheep-Pox virus
• Vesicular stomatitis virus