Dangerous goods
As a contract customer, you can also send some goods classified as dangerous through us. The carriage of dangerous goods requires a separate agreement with Matkahuolto.
Dangerous goods are defined as any substance or object which, because of its explosive, flammable, radiological, toxic, flammable, corrosive or other properties, may cause damage to persons, the environment or property. For example, many everyday items, such as nail polishes and hair sprays, aerosols, paints and batteries, as well as hunting gun cartridges are classified as dangerous goods.
Domestic road transport of dangerous goods is governed by the ADR legislation. In addition, Matkahuolto has its own conditions and class-specific restrictions for the transport of dangerous goods. Consumer customers cannot send consignments containing dangerous goods via Matkahuolto.
Sending dangerous goods
Matkahuolto carries dangerous goods as ADR and LQ consignments.
The ADR additional service is only available for Home Delivery and Business Parcel consignments. In addition, special pick-up service must be used for ADR consignments, or the consignment must be taken to a Matkahuolto business point that accepts ADR consignments. The permitted categories and restrictions are set out in ‘Class-specific restrictions on ADR consignments’.
However, consignments with the LQ additional service (with the exception of explosives of classification code 1.4S) can be sent to parcel points and almost all parcel lockers. The LQ additional service can be used with Pick-up Parcel, Express Parcel, Customer Return, Home Delivery and Business Parcel consignments. For more information on sending LQ consignments, see Sending in limited quantities (LQ consignment).
Consignor’s liability
As the consignor, you are responsible for ensuring that the classification, packaging and labelling of the goods, the information provided for transport and the shipping documents comply with the laws and regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods. Consignments that do not comply with applicable laws or delivery terms cannot be accepted for shipment and will not be transported. As a consignor, you are also liable for any damage caused by your non-compliance, such as additional handling costs.
Sending ADR consignments
First, make sure that Matkahuolto will transport the goods in question as an ADR consignment and that the class-specific restrictions are not violated (see ‘Class-specific restrictions on ADR consignments’).
The Dangerous Goods additional service is always required for ADR consignments.
The Handing Over Personally additional service is always required for explosives of classification code 1.4S, such as cartridges.
ADR consignments can only be sent as Home Delivery or Business Parcel consignments.
Dangerous goods must be packed in good quality packaging.
The packaging must be strong enough to withstand the stresses of normal transport.
The packaging must be prepared and closed so that nothing can escape from the contents of the finished parcel under normal conditions of transport.
The technical requirements for packaging are specified in more detail in Traficom’s regulation on the transport of dangerous goods by road.
Batteries must be packed in rigid outer packaging.
The parcel must bear markings in accordance with the ADR legislation, such as warning label(s), the UN identification number of the substance and, in the case of explosives, the official name of the substance.
If necessary, directional arrows must also be added to the package, as in the case of combined packages where the inner packaging contains liquids. The use of directional arrows is specified in more detail in the Traficom regulation.
The weight of a package in an ADR consignment must not exceed 35 kg. However, the class-specific limit for the substance must not be exceeded.
For an ADR consignment, information about the consignment and the dangerous goods must be communicated to Matkahuolto via an EDI message:
More detailed specifications can be found in the technical interface description Interfaces - Matkahuolto
An ADR consignment can also be created in our Paketit Business Portal, where the system asks for all the mandatory information about the shipment.
Instructions for creating ADR and LQ consignments in the Paketit Business Portal:
If you need help with the Paketit Business Portal, you can contact either sopimusasiakkaat@matkahuolto.fi or tel. 020 710 5024.
Address labels approved by Matkahuolto must be used when sending consignments containing dangerous goods.
The address label must contain the following information on the dangerous substance.
The UN number of the dangerous substance preceded by the characters “UN”
The official name of the substance or article, supplemented by the technical name where appropriate. The technical name must be given in brackets.
Warning label number. If more than one warning label number is given, the numbers after the first number must be enclosed in brackets. Exceptions to the above are explosives of classification code 1.4S, for which the classification code must be given, and UN 3090, 3091, 3480 and 3481 substances, for which class number “9” must be given.
Packing group, if specified for the substance.
Weight of the consignment and number of packages. For explosives of classification code 1.4S, the net weight of the explosive must also be indicated.
Any special regulation under which the substance or article is exempted from other ADR requirements.
ADR consignments may not be left at parcel points or lockers for pick-up. Instead, a separate pick-up service must be ordered or they must be taken with an address label to a Matkahuolto business point that accepts ADR consignments.
For the pick-up service, the driver must be given a separate transport document for the ADR consignment, which you can print out, for example, in our Paketit Business Portal. The transport document must contain all the information about the consignment required by law for transport.
Class-specific restrictions on ADR consignments
Matkahuolto only transports ADR consignments containing the dangerous goods listed below. Please also note the size limits of the consignment. If you need to send dangerous goods in quantities that exceed the class limits, you should divide them into multiple shipments to avoid exceeding the maximum level for an individual consignment.
Class 1/Classification Code 1.4S: Explosives
You can send explosives of classification code 1.4S through us. The net weight of the explosive must not exceed 20 kg per consignment. We do not carry other explosives.
Explosives of classification code 1.4S include firearm cartridges without explosive bullets and handgun cartridges.
The Handing Over Personally additional service is always required for explosives of classification code 1.4S.
Class 2: Gases
You can send up to 60 kg of non-toxic Class 2 gases per consignment through us. Transport of toxic gases (groups T, TF, TC, TO, TFC, TOC) is forbidden.
Gases include, for example, aerosols (hairsprays, deodorants, spray-paints, automotive chemicals), gas cartridges, small gas containers, fire extinguishers, pressurised diving cylinders and shielding gases and flammable gases used in welding.
Class 3: Flammable liquids
You may send through us up to 100 litres of Class 3 substances of packing groups II and III per consignment, of which no more than 60 litres may be flammable liquids of packing group II. Flammable liquids marked with labels 6.1 or 8 in addition to Class 3 label may not be transported.
Flammable liquids include, for example, paints, varnishes, thinners, solvents, adhesives, perfume products, oil distillates, gasoline and ethanol-based windscreen washer fluids.
Class 4.1: Highly flammable solids, self-reactive substances, polymerisable substances and desensitized solid explosives
You can send through us up to 50 kg of Class 4.1 substances per consignment. It is prohibited to ship substances of Class 4.1 that also require warning labels other than 4.1.
For example, matches are in Class 4.1.
Class 6.1: Toxic substances
You can send through us up to 20 kg of low-risk substances of Class 6.1, packing group III, per consignment. This class includes, for example, disinfectants and pesticides.
We do not carry infectious substances that belong to Class 6.2.
Exceptions to this are laboratory specimens classified under UN 3373.
The official name is BIOLOGICAL SUBSTANCE, CLASS B.
Packing is done in accordance with Traficom’s packaging instruction P650.
Class 8: Corrosive substances
You can send through us up to 20 kg of low-risk corrosive substances of Class 8, packing group III, per consignment. Class 8 includes, for example, acidified batteries and strong cleaning agents.
Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous substances and articles
You can send through us up to 50 kg of Class 9 substances and articles per consignment. Class 9 includes, for example, lithium batteries.
We do not carry substances in any of the following classes:
Class 1 (except for 1.4S)
Class 2, toxic gases
Class 4.2 Substances liable to spontaneous combustion
Class 4.3 Substances which react with water to emit flammable gases
Class 5.1 Oxidising substances
Class 5.2 Organic peroxides
Class 6.2 Infectious substances
Class 7 Radioactive substances
Sending in limited quantities (LQ consignment)
When shipped in Limited Quantities (LQ), the dangerous goods must be packed in small inner packaging units. This also allows some otherwise prohibited dangerous goods to be shipped through us.
Please note, however, that many dangerous goods cannot be sent in limited quantities. You can check whether a limited quantity is possible through, for example, Traficom’s ‘VAK-haku’ service (check the Rajoitetut määrät (7a) column). Column (7a) shows the maximum quantities of dangerous goods to be carried in limited quantities per inner packaging or per article. In addition, Matkahuolto may impose its own restrictions on the shipment of certain substances in limited quantities.
When shipped in limited quantities, dangerous goods must be packed ininner packagings placed in suitable outer packagings. Intervening packaging may be used. The packaging must be strong enough to withstand the stresses of normal transport. The packaging must be prepared and closed so that nothing can escape from the contents of the finished parcel under normal conditions of transport. For articles of hazard class 1.4, compatibility group S (e.g. cartridges), the provisions of Traficom’s regulation on the transport of dangerous goods by road, chapter 4.1.5, must be met. Liquid substances of Class 8, packing group II, whose inner packaging is made of glass, porcelain or ceramic, must be packed in a suitable rigid intervening packaging. An inner packaging is not necessary when transporting objects such as aerosols or small gas containers.
The total gross weight of a parcel in an LQ consignment may not exceed 30 kg.
The total gross weight may not exceed 20 kg for shrink-wrapped pallets.
The LQ label below must be affixed to one side of a package containing limited quantities of dangerous goods.
If necessary, directional arrows must also be added to the package, as in the case of combined packages where the inner packaging contains liquids. The use of directional arrows is specified in more detail in the Traficom regulation.
The Limited Quantity LQ additional service is always required for LQ consignments.
The Handing Over Personally additional service is always required for explosives of classification code 1.4S, such as cartridges, and they must not be sent to parcel points or lockers.
The EDI message of an LQ consignment must indicate the gross weight of the dangerous substance in a traceable manner. The address label should also indicate the gross weight of the dangerous goods, e.g. “Dangerous goods in limited quantities of 5 kg”.
A LQ shipment can also be created in our Paketit Business Portal, where the system asks for all the mandatory information about the shipment.
Instructions for creating ADR and LQ consignments in the Paketit Business Portal:
If you need help with the Paketit Business Portal, you can contact either sopimusasiakkaat@matkahuolto.fi or tel. 020 710 5024.