When it comes to transporting dangerous goods, safety isn’t just a priority, it’s a requirement. A key factor in ensuring safe transportation is using packaging that is specifically designed and rigorously tested to protect what is stored inside.
Having manufacturers figure out the process on their own could lead to dangerous situations. That is why the United Nations has created international requirements, outlined in the Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods. Countries within Europe as well as the United States, Canada, Japan and Australia all work with these safety measures. This leads to standardisation and harmonisation in a world where there are already many certifications and labels.
Sounds complex? Let’s break down UN-certified packaging for you!
What is UN-certified packaging?
As we mentioned, the packaging requirements set up by the UN are designed to regulate the transport of dangerous goods. Companies have to follow a set of strict guidelines to package their goods to ensure they meet the safety standards.
To guarantee that goods will arrive at their destination unscathed, the packaging will first undergo rigorous testing to ensure it can withstand rough conditions. This is crucial for protecting both the environment and public health, preventing leaks, spills, and other potential hazards during transit.
For companies handling hazardous materials, using UN-certified packaging is mandatory. Failing to comply with national and international regulations can lead to serious legal consequences, shipment delays, and safety risks.
Image: ZeroPackaging
How does the certification process work?
In order to get your packaging certified, companies will have to follow a series of steps. We will explain them in more detail below.
Step 1: Find out what kind of packaging you need
The first step in the process is to clarify what you are transporting and how you are going to do that. That way you can determine if you need UN-certified packaging or not.
To assess whether UN-certified packaging is necessary, ask yourself the following questions:
Is the content hazardous if it leaks, spills, or comes into contact with the environment?
Could it pose a risk to people, wildlife or ecosystems?
Does it have corrosive, toxic, flammable or explosive properties?
To simplify the process, the UN has established globally recognised categories for hazardous materials. There are nine different categories to choose from:
Explosives
Gases
Flammable liquids
Flammable solids
Oxidising substances and organic peroxides
Toxic and infectious substances
Radioactive materials
Corrosive substances
Miscellaneous dangerous goods
Image: Veilig op weg met de ADR, van Leeuwen Gevaarsetiketten BV, editie 6/2023
When you've identified the category of your goods, next is determining how they will be transported:
Will they be shipped by road, rail, sea or air?
Could they react negatively to changes in pressure, temperature or humidity?
Are there specific regulations for your chosen transportation mode?
For example, flammable liquids transported by air pose a higher risk due to changes in pressure and temperature. This requires additional safety measures compared to ground transport.
The UN has established three levels of packaging (I, II, III) based on the degree of danger. The greater the potential danger, the stricter the packaging requirements become.
Group I (X Code) – High Danger
Requires the most protective packaging
Group II (Y Code) – Medium Danger
Requires a balance of durability and flexibility
Group III (Z Code) – Low Danger
Requires less stringent but still robust packaging
Step 2: Design a suitable package
Once you've confirmed what kind of dangerous goods you are transporting, the next step is designing suitable packaging. It's essential to work with a company that understands UN-certified packaging and conducts a thorough preliminary assessment to ensure the packaging complies with the safety standards.
Our team at ZeroPackaging has experience with UN-certified packaging. If you’re looking for guidance on selecting the right packaging for your products, feel free to reach out. We’d be happy to assist!
Step 3: Official testing of the package
When a suitable package has been designed, an approved laboratory will carry out a series of standardised tests based on the specific characteristics of the packaged goods to test the package’s durability.
These tests are designed to simulate the real-life conditions the packaging may encounter during transport by road, rail, sea or air. To make sure these tests are as accurate as possible, companies must provide fully assembled packaging samples, including any inner packaging (such as bottles, cans, or liners) containing a product that has the same physical properties like viscosity, weight, structure but is not dangerous to the person executing the tests.
The packaging will undergo one or multiple tests:
Drop Test
Purpose: Assesses the packaging’s ability to protect contents from impact during accidental drops in transit. How it works: Packaging is dropped from a specified height onto different surfaces (flat, edge, and corner drops) using specialised Drop Test equipment. The packaging may be crushed, this is acceptable when there is no leakage of the product itself.
Leakproofness Test (mostly for primary packaging)
Purpose: Ensures liquid-tight containment to prevent leaks and spills. How it works: The packaging is submerged underwater while internal pressure is applied. If no leakage occurs, the packaging passes the test.
Pressure Test (mostly for primary packaging)
Purpose: Verifies the packaging’s ability to withstand different pressure conditions during transport, which is especially critical for air freight. How it works: The packaging is subjected to varying pressure levels to simulate conditions at high altitudes.
Stacking Test
Purpose: Determines the packaging’s durability under stacking conditions during storage and distribution. How it works: Weight equivalent to a full stack of packages is applied for at least 24 hours to ensure the packaging can maintain structural integrity.
Burst Test
Purpose: Tests the maximum pressure tolerance of the packaging. How it works: The packaging undergoes the Pressure Test again, but this time with a 20% increase in applied force to verify its ability to withstand extreme conditions.
Puncture Test
Purpose: Measures resistance to sharp objects and potential punctures. How it works: The packaging is subjected to controlled impacts from sharp objects moving at different speeds and force levels. The test is successful if the object fails to breach the packaging.
Step 4: Receive a certificate and a code
Once all tests are successfully completed, a detailed report is compiled, outlining the test results. This report is then submitted to the national regulatory authority, which gives the final stamp of approval in the form of a UN-compliant packaging certification.
As part of the certification, the approved package has to be labeled (e.g., printed) with a unique code for easy identification. This code provides critical details about the packaging’s design, capabilities, and approved usage.
Understanding these codes is essential. Using the wrong packaging or assembling it incorrectly can invalidate the certification, compromise its safety and lead to regulatory violations. For example, once a package is approved for a specific weight, it cannot be used for a different weight without risking safety.
At first glance, reading the codes may seem complex. Let’s break down what each code means:
UN Symbol – Confirms the package meets UN-certification for transporting hazardous goods. Without it, the package isn’t UN-certified.
Packaging Identification – A mix of numbers and letters indicating the type of packaging (e.g. 3 = Jerricans) and material (e.g. A = steel) and how it’s closed (1 = Closed head).
Image: ZeroPackaging
Packaging Group – Defines hazard levels:
X (Group I) – High danger
Y (Group II) – Medium danger
Z (Group III) – Low danger
Weight & Density Limits – Specifies the maximum weight for solids or specific gravity for liquids the packaging can contain.
Substance – Indicates that the packaging is intended to contain solid substances
S = solid
L = liquid
G = gas
Manufacturing Details – Includes year, country, and manufacturer ID for traceability and compliance.
Identification of the Manufacturer or Approval Agency – identifies the organisation or company that certified the packaging.
For example, UN 3A1/Y/180/23/D/BAM 7573-BLF means UN-certified Jerricans Steel Closed head/medium danger/max weight 180kg/production year: 2023/country: Germany/ Manufacturer or Approval Agency: Blechwarenfabrik Limburg, GmbH
Image: ZeroPackaging
Step 5: Compliance
The final step in the UN-certified packaging process is ensuring compliance. While packaging may pass rigorous testing and receive UN certification, this approval is not permanent or without conditions. To maintain certification and uphold safety standards, specific requirements must be met throughout the packaging’s lifespan. It is a continuous process, with periodic reassessments and design adjustments if necessary to adapt to regulatory changes or material innovations. Your UN packaging may be checked by organisations like ILT (Inspectie Leefomgeving en Transport) to ensure they are still on par with the highest standards.
How we can help you with your UN-certification needs
UN packaging is a packaging specialism that requires in-depth knowledge of regulations, materials, and testing procedures. Our team has gone through specific UN packaging training and has studied the ‘wetboek’ ADR on how to transport dangerous goods. We can guide you through the certification process from creating the right packaging for your goods to making changes to ensure your compliance.
Whether you need assistance with packaging design, testing, or regulatory approval, our team is here to help you navigate the complexities of UN-certified packaging with confidence.
If you are interested in discovering how we can support your company with your UN-certified packaging needs, feel free to contact us. We are eager to discuss the possibilities with you!
Sources
UNECE Dangerous Goods (2025). https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods
TÜV SÜD (2025). UN Marking for Packaging. https://www.tuvsud.com/en/services/product-certification/un-marking-for-packaging
IATA (2025). Certification. https://www.iata.org/en/services/certification/
BAM TES (2025). Dangerous Goods Packagings. https://tes.bam.de/TES/Content/EN/Standardartikel/Containments/Dangerous-Goods-Packagings/usage.html
The ZeroPackaging team also followed a training by https://specialcargo.nl/
All images and videos, unless stated otherwise, are made by ZeroPackaging.
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