ASTM D4948-89(2012)

4.1 The United Nations Committee of Experts on the Transport of Dangerous Goods in their recommended regulations place materials having a flash point below 23°C (73.5°F) in Packing Group II. However, if viscous substances such as paint and related coatings, adhesives, polishes, etc., meet certain requirements, they can be placed in Group III along with materials having a flash point between 23 and 60.5°C (73.5 and 140°F). One of the requirements is that less than 3 % of clear liquid separates from the bulk of the material when subjected to this test method.

4.2 At the present time most international regulatory bodies such as the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO) use the U.N. Recommendations. It is anticipated that most national transportation regulatory bodies will adopt the U.N. Recommendations as their regulations for control of transportation of hazardous materials. At present the United States permits the transshipment of hazardous materials through the United States to other countries under regulations of the IMO and ICAO.

1.1 This test method covers the determination of the amount of liquid separated as an upper layer in a 24-h period from viscous solutions or dispersions that contain dispersed solids such as paints, enamels, pigmented lacquers, adhesives, polishes, and other similar materials.