China Releases Draft of Principle of Classification of Transport Packaging Groups of Dangerous Goods for Public Comment

The revised recommended national standard* Principle of Classification of Transport Packaging Groups of Dangerous Goods** has been open for public comment since January 2026. Work on the revision officially began on June 3, 2025. There is no deadline mentioned for the comment period. Completion of the standard is planned for 2026.

Issued jointly by the State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) and the Standardization Administration of China (SAC), the standard aims to address the current issue of imprecise classification of packaging groups in China's dangerous goods management. 

Scope

This standard specifies the method for classifying transport packaging groups of various dangerous goods. It is applicable to production, storage, transportation, and inspection departments of dangerous goods as a basis for determining packaging groups when conducting performance tests and inspections on transport packaging.

It does not apply to:

• pressure vessels for gases,
• transport packaging for infectious substances,
• transport packaging for radioactive materials,
• packaging with a net mass exceeding 400 kg, or
• packaging with a capacity exceeding 450 L.

This document is technically consistent with the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods – Model Regulations (24th revised edition).

This document will replace GB/T 15098—2008 Rule of Nomenclature for Dangerous Goods. The main technical changes compared to the 2008 version are as follows:

• Added classification of the degree of danger of dangerous goods:

Except for Class 1, Class 2, Class 7, self-reactive substances in Division 4.1, Division 5.2, and Division 6.2, dangerous substances are divided into three packaging groups according to their degree of danger:

• Packaging Group I: Substances with high danger;
• Packaging Group II: Substances with moderate danger;
• Packaging Group III: Substances with low danger.

• Deleted the content on classifying packaging groups based on CN numbers.
• Deleted the packaging group content for various classes and divisions.
• Specified provisions for packaging groups of dangerous goods listed and not listed in GB 12268:

For dangerous substances already listed in GB 12268 List of Dangerous Goods, the performance level of transport packaging must be determined according to the indicated packaging group based on the degree of danger. For dangerous substances not listed in GB 12268, their packaging group based on the degree of danger must be determined according to the class/division and relevant quantitative values of the dangerous substances in GB 6944 Classification and Code of Dangerous Goods.

• Added packaging group requirements for articles, Class 1 explosives, outer packaging of pressure vessels, organic peroxides, and self-reactive substances:

The transport packaging for articles must meet the packaging performance levels listed in the packing instructions of the Model Regulations. The transport packaging for Class 1 explosives must meet the performance level of Packaging Group II. When pressure vessels are transported in outer packaging, the outer packaging shall meet the drop height performance level of Packaging Group I. The transport packaging for organic peroxides and self-reactive substances shall meet the performance level of Packaging Group II.

Implementation Transition Period

After the release of this standard, relevant entities will need to make adjustments based on the changes. Therefore, a transition period of six months between the release date and the effective date is proposed for this recommended national standard to ensure its smooth implementation.

If you need any assistance or have any questions, please get in touch with us via service@cirs-group.com.

* In China, a Mandatory national standard begins GB followed by numbers, whereas a recommended national standard begins GB/T followed by numbers. These are often more technical and industry driven can go on to become mandatory standards.

** The standard title could also be translated as Classification Method for Transportation Packaging of Dangerous Goods.

Further Information

STD