In international logistics, sea freight export, and warehousing and transportation, dangerous goods have always been a key controlled category. Once misclassified or misdeclared, it is extremely easy to cause cargo detention, fines, delays, or even safety accidents. Today, we will sort out the United Nations' 9 major categories of dangerous goods in a simple and clear way, paired with the most common export goods in daily life, to help foreign trade, freight forwarders, and factory friends quickly identify them. Please forward and save for future reference.

I. The 9 Major Classes of Dangerous Goods (UN Standard)

According to the "Regulations Concerning the Transport of Dangerous Goods", dangerous goods are divided into 9 major classes:

Class 1: Explosives

Class 2: Compressed gases, liquefied gases

Class 3: Flammable liquids

Class 4: Flammable solids, substances liable to spontaneous combustion, substances which, in contact with water, emit flammable gases

Class 5: Oxidizing substances and organic peroxides

Class 6: Toxic substances and infectious substances

Class 7: Radioactive Materials

Class 8: Corrosive Substances

Class 9: Miscellaneous Dangerous Substances and Articles

II. Detailed Explanation of Each Class + Common Export Goods

Class 1 | Explosives

Characteristics: Prone to violent explosions when subjected to impact, heat, or friction, with extremely strong destructive power and the strictest control.

Common goods: Fireworks, detonators, explosives, ammunition, pyrotechnic articles, blasting equipment, etc.

Rarely handled by ordinary freight forwarders for sea freight export; requires special qualifications.

Class 2 | Gases: Compressed gases, liquefied gases (divided into flammable, non-flammable non-toxic, and toxic)

Characteristics: Stored under high pressure, prone to leakage, explosion, poisoning, and suffocation.

Common goods:

Flammable gases: Lighter gas, butane, propane, acetylene, natural gas

Non-flammable and non-toxic: Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon, Carbon Dioxide

Toxic gases: Chlorine, Ammonia, Sulfur Dioxide

Class 3 | Flammable Liquids (one of the most common export categories)

Characteristics: Low flash point, extremely flammable and volatile when exposed to open flames or high temperatures, highly volatile.

Common goods: Paints, coatings, thinners, glues, alcohol, acetone, methanol, banana water, gasoline, inks, cleaning agents.

Class 4 | Flammable Solids, Spontaneously Combustible, Dangerous When Wet

4.1 Flammable Solids: Sulfur, Red Phosphorus, Magnesium Powder, Matches, Activated Carbon, Mothballs

4.2 Spontaneously Combustible Substances: Bamboo Charcoal, Quick-burning Charcoal

4.3 Dangerous When Wet: Sodium Metal, Lithium Metal, Calcium Carbide, Magnesium-Aluminum Powder

Calcium carbide produces acetylene gas when it encounters water, which is highly explosive and considered a high-risk dangerous good.

Class 5 | Oxidizing Substances, Organic Peroxides

Characteristics: May not burn on its own, but is extremely strong in supporting combustion and will burn violently and explode when in contact with combustibles.

Common goods: Hydrogen Peroxide, Potassium Permanganate, Bleaching Powder, Ammonium Persulfate, Benzoyl Peroxide, some fertilizer oxidizers.

Class 6 | Toxic Substances, Infectious Substances

Characteristics: Can cause poisoning through inhalation, ingestion, or skin contact; infectious substances contain bacteria and viruses.

Common goods: Pesticides, insecticides, arsenic, some pharmaceutical intermediates, virus samples, biological agents.

Class 7 | Radioactive Materials

Characteristics: Emit radiation, harmful to human health, extremely strict transportation requirements.

Common goods: Radioactive reagents

Rarely encountered in general foreign trade, mostly for specialized industries.

Class 8 | Corrosive Substances

Characteristics: Corrosive to skin, metals, and packaging; leakage can cause equipment damage and personal injury.

Common goods: Hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), liquid alkali, glacial acetic acid, battery electrolyte, rust remover.

Class 9 | Miscellaneous Dangerous Substances (Most numerous and most easily overlooked category)

Characteristics: Does not belong to the previous 8 classes, but poses environmental hazards, physical dangers, and potential risks.

Common goods:

Lithium batteries (mobile phone batteries, energy storage batteries, power banks), dry ice, magnetic materials, asbestos, some plastic pellets, environmental pollutants, automotive parts, chemical waste.

In international logistics, sea freight export, and warehousing and transportation, dangerous goods have always been a key controlled category. Once misclassified or misdeclared, it is extremely easy to cause cargo detention, fines, delays, or even safety accidents. Today, we will sort out the United Nations' 9 major categories of dangerous goods in a simple and clear way, paired with the most common export goods in daily life, to help foreign trade, freight forwarders, and factory friends quickly identify them. Please forward and save for future reference.