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Commodities
To help you determine whether a package has dangerous goods, you should read the general descriptions on either the customs declarations or outer packaging of commodities being offered for mailing.
Non-exhaustive list of commodities that may have dangerous goods
| Commodity | Examples of dangerous goods which may be present |
|---|---|
| Agricultural supplies | Fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides |
| Automobile parts | Wet batteries, shocks or struts with nitrogen, air bags |
| Breathing apparatus | Cylinders of compressed air or oxygen |
| Camping gear | Flammable gas or liquid, matches, other dangerous goods |
| Chemicals | Often found to be dangerous |
| Chemistry kits | Dangerous chemicals |
| Cleaning fluids | Dangerous chemicals |
| Cosmetics | Hairsprays, flammable liquids, other dangerous goods |
| Cryogenics | Very low temperature liquefied gases |
| Cylinders | Compressed gases |
| Dental supplies | Resins or solvents |
| Diagnostic specimens | Infectious substances |
| Diving equipment | Gas cylinders, high intensity diving lamps |
| Electrical equipment | Mercury in switch and electron tubes |
| Electrically powered apparatuses (wheelchairs, lawnmowers, and so on) | Wet batteries (corrosive) |
| Fireworks | Explosive substances |
| Frozen fruit and vegetables | Dry ice |
| Household goods | Paint, aerosols, bleaching powder |
| Individual Meal Packs (IMPs) | Flameless Ration Heaters (FRHs) and Self Heating Beverages (SHBs) |
| Instruments | Barometers, manometers and sphygmomanometers containing mercury, mercury switches, and thermometers |
| Laboratory equipment | Dangerous chemicals |
| Machinery parts | May include adhesives, paints, sealants, solvents |
| Medical supplies | Dangerous chemicals, thermometers, blood pressure instruments |
| Paint | Flammable solvents |
| Party supplies | Compressed gases, explosive articles |
| Perfume | Flammable liquids |
| Pharmaceuticals | Dangerous chemicals |
| Photographic supplies | Dangerous chemicals |
| Repair kits | Adhesives, paints, organic peroxides, solvents |
| Samples for testing | May have dangerous goods |
| Swimming pool chemicals | Dangerous goods |
| Switches (electrical) | Mercury switches |
| Tool boxes | May have explosives (power rivets), aerosols, adhesives |
| Toys | May be composed of flammable material |
| Vaccines | May be packed in dry ice |