No such animal

摘要

IBCs Concerns over the integrity of single trip IBCs have raised the issue that the regulations make no provision for such packagings. It is up to users to make sure their IBCs are fit for purpose, regardless of the basis on which they were sold, argues Martin Castle. For the transport of dangerous goods there is no provision in the regulations for any packaging type to be 'single trip' or 'single use' and therefore single trip intermediate bulk containers (IBCs) do not exist. In fact the UN text makes specific provision for the use of new, re-used, repaired and reconditioned packaging. Common sense says that a paper bag cannot be re-used but at the same time and taking into account the requirements for reducing packaging waste in a number of countries, not only in Europe, the UN recognises that the re-use of packagings assists in the process of protecting the environment. When this text was prepared over 30 years ago packaging waste was not a hot topic and it is more likely that the regulators were facing the real world in which packagings are re-used.