User:DrEmmettBrownie/sandbox

ADG Class 6 Toxic and infectious substances is one of the nine classes used to classify Dangerous Goods. Class 6 has two subgroups, 6.1 Toxic/Poisonous substances and 6.2 Infectious/Biohazard substances, in which 6.1 Toxic/Poisonous substances separates into the three packing groups. The transport of dangerous goods depends heavily on the regulations appointed with each class. The UN recommendations on the transport of dangerous goods supplies the principle requirements, which some countries then adjust specific policies. These divisions each have a set color for the background of the diamond shaped labels; some classes have more than one design based on the amount of subgroups it has. Class 6 uses white as the background for the label.

Division 6.1: Toxic Substances
Toxic substances are substances that could cause harm to human health or death through Ingestion, Inhalation or Dermal Contact. If there is insufficient information on human toxicity then animal test data should be used to determine the substance’s toxicity. If the animal test data fulfills any of the following requirements then it is deemed toxic.


 * Oral Toxicity:
 * For a liquid to be deemed toxic through ingestion it must be expected to kill 50% of the test animals within 2 weeks with a single dose of less than or equal to 500 mg/kg. This means that for liquids the LD50 for acute oral toxicity must be ≤ 500mg/kg.
 * For a solid to be deemed toxic through ingestion it must be expected to kill 50% of the test animals within 2 weeks with a single dose of less than or equal to 200 mg/kg. This means that for solids the LD50 for acute oral toxicity must be ≤ 200mg/kg.


 * Inhalation Toxicity: For a dust or mist to be deemed toxic through inhalation it must be expected to kill 50% of the test animals within 2 weeks when exposed to continuous inhalation of less than or equal to 10 mg/L for one hour. This means the LC50 for dust or mist must be less than or equal to 10 mg/L. A material with a saturated vapor concentration, in air at 20 °C, greater than 1/5 of the LC50 and with an LC50 less than or equal to 5000 ml/m³ is also deemed toxic.


 * Dermal Toxicity: For a material to be considered through dermal contact it must kill 50% of the test animals when a dose of less than or equal to 1,000 mg/kg is administered continuously for 24 hours. This means the LD50 must be ≤ 1000mg/kg.


 * Causes severe irritation

Division 6.2: Infectious Substances
Infectious Substances are those which contain pathogens, which are micro-organisms such as bacteria, prion, fungus, or viruses that are known to cause disease in humans or animals. Infectious substances are classified into two categories as follows:
 * Category A: Infectious substances that are life threatening due to their capability to cause permanent disability or cause fatal diseases in humans or animals if exposed while being transported. Examples of Category A substances that affect humans include: Ebola virus, Monkeypox virus, and the Junin virus. Examples that affect animals are: Foot and mouth disease virus (cultures only) and Sheep-pox virus (cultures only).
 * Category B: Infectious substances that do not fit the requirements of Category A.

Substances that can be classified in this division include biological products, cultures, patient specimens, genetically modified micro-organisms, and medical or clinical wastes. Biological products are substances which are manufactured or distributed to prevent, diagnose, or treat a disease in humans or in animals. Cultures are substances that are intentionally produced, and in most cases are laboratory stocks. Patient specimens are samples directly taken from humans or animals which are used usually for research, prevention and treatment.

Packing groups
Substances of Division 6.1, including pesticides, are allocated among the three packing groups according to their degree of toxic hazard in transport as follows:
 * Packing group I: Substances and preparations presenting a very severe toxicity risk;
 * Packing group II: Substances and preparations presenting a serious toxicity risk;
 * Packing group III: substances and preparations presenting a relatively low toxicity risk.

Packing group assignment for routes of exposure other than inhalation of vapors

* There are some exceptions to this, such as tear gas.

 Packing group assignments for liquid based on inhalation of vapors 

If different packing groups are assigned for different routes of exposure then the overall packing group for the substance is the most severe packing group for that substance.

With a mixture that contains several different toxic substances the packing group can be determined from the LC50 data of each toxic substance. The method for determining the different aspects of the toxic mixture is outlined in the ADG code.

If there is no LC50 data on the different toxic substances composing the mixture then the packing group can be determined from simplified toxicity tests which are also outlined in the ADG code.

Classification of hazardous substances
As required by law all suppliers and manufacturers must provide a Material Safety Data Sheet to workplaces to provides consumers with the following:


 * Identification of substances and specifies there inherent hazardousness.
 * The health effects associated with exposure to the substance and subsequent first aid instructions
 * Precautions information on the storage and handling of the substance
 * The constituent of the substance.

Once the substance has been identified as hazardous they are then assigned a universal label and classification provided by the Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals. Substances from Class 6 of the ADG code can fall under the following classifications:


 * Very Toxic
 * Toxic
 * Harmful
 * Corrosive
 * Irritant
 * Sensitizer
 * Carcinogenic
 * Mutagenic
 * Toxic to reproduction
 * System toxicity