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Hazardous Materials Background and Data Overview

Talking Freight SeminarWashington D.C.October 18, 2006

Ron DuychResearch and Innovative Technology Administration

Bureau of Transportation StatisticsRonald.Duych@dot.gov

(202) 366-8908

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History of the Federal Government’s Involvement in

Hazardous Materials Transportation

1866 – 1871 Laws passed regulating explosives and flammable materials

1887 Interstate Commerce Commission Act 1908 Explosives and Combustibles Act 1911 Regulations adopted by the ICC April 1, 1967 Department of Transportation formed 1975, 1990, 2005 Major hazardous materials

transportation legislation

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Reported Hazardous Materials Incidents

Source: Hazardous Materials Information System, US DOT

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Serious vs. Other Incidents

Source: Hazardous Materials Information System, US DOT

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Reported Hazardous Fatalities

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Background of the Commodity Flow Survey

Jointly conducted by BTS & Census; BTS funded 80% & Census funded 20%

Fourth in a series – conducted in 1993, 1997 & 2002; now planning for 2007

Sample of 100,000 establishments from Census Business Register (753k)

Mandatory reporting requirement (part of Economic Census)

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CFS Shipment Characteristics

Value Tons Ton-Miles Average miles per shipment Modes of transportation State of origin & destination Hazmat class/division/UN number Special groupings

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Hazardous Materials Report - Uses

Identify hazmat flows & exposure by mode Policy development Rule making Program planning Public safety concerns Denominator data for risk analysis Security assessments Emergency response and preparedness

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Hazardous Materials Versus

Non-Hazardous Materials

*Excludes crude petroleum, natural gas extraction and hazardous waste. Imports and radioactive materials are not well sampled.

2002 Commodity Flow Survey

7.8%

92.2%

18.8%

81.2%

10.4%

89.6%

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

Value Tons Ton-Miles

HAZMAT NON-HAZMAT

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Tons of Hazardous Materials by Mode

2002 Commodity Flow Survey

Truck, 52.9%

Rail, 5.0%

Water, 10.4%

Pipeline, 30.2%

Air and other, 1.5%

Total hazmat tons

2.2 billion

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Ton-Miles of Hazardous Materials by Mode

2002 Commodity Flow Survey

Truck, 33.7%

Rail, 22.1%

Water, 21.6%

All other, 22.6%

Total hazmat ton-miles

326.7 billion

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Summary Points

Safety has historically been the focus of the Federal Government in hazardous materials transportation.

Security, because of September 11, 2001, is now a major concern and issue.

Incident/accident hazardous materials data are available from the HMIS. hazmat.dot.gov

Hazardous materials transportation flow data are available on a national level from the CFS. Highway hazmat flow data is sparse on the state and local level. www.bts.gov or www.census.gov

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Contact Information

Email: Ronald.Duych@dot.gov

Phone: (202) 366-8908

Product Distribution:BTS Website: www.bts.gov/btsprod