Ahmed Sabah
9 mins read
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Brad Connors leverages extensive experience in logistics and customer service to design shipping solutions that maintain business competitiveness. Known for his collaborative approach, he helps brands turn operational challenges into strategic growth opportunities.
Somewhere in your product catalog right now, there's a SKU that might fall under the list of shipping-restricted items. But it might also be your best seller. What do you do?
You might not even be aware that you were shipping hazardous materials. It probably just came out when:
This situation is not uncommon. It is difficult for most eCommerce brands to keep in touch with the applicable TDG Regulations and the changes they undergo. It is only when they face a financial crisis that non-compliance comes to light. The goods are rejected and returned to you, but you still have a customer order to fulfill. So you have to resend the package after dealing with complicated return procedures and extra transportation and shipping costs.
Rules to follow for dangerous goods shipping are omnipresent. So, none of the goods look dangerous, but applicable federal laws say otherwise. In this blog, we will explore more on the topic. Read on.
It is difficult because no product comes with a warning label. So the check needs to be done elsewhere, in the ingredients used to make the product, the specifications written on a product label, and the fine print that most people never read. Let’s understand this by looking at some common examples of dangerous goods that you unknowingly ship.
Here's the consolidated table, merging the image's hazard classes and products into your existing structure. I kept your column format, added the classes your table didn't cover (Class 4 and Class 8), and folded in the additional products from the image.
The absence of a warning label, combined with our tendency to skip the fine print, results in many eCommerce brands shipping hazardous materials by accident. This compounds the problem, making it mandatory for eCommerce companies in Canada to follow TDG (Transportation of Dangerous Goods) regulations when dealing with such materials.
Follow the process below to ensure dangerous goods compliance.
Ask the manufacturer for the product’s Safety Data Sheet (SDS). This contains the product’s hazard classification along with other critical parameters like:
A small difference in parameters can change your product classification, leading to a change in the carrier’s acceptance criteria. For example, a serum with 15% alcohol will behave differently from one that contains 60% alcohol. This distinction is readily available in the SDS, not in the product description on the brand’s listing page.
When you classify a product as skincare, electronics, or any such category, it would be wrong to assume it aligns with the TDG regulation categorization. Let’s look at an example. One serum classified as skincare might be water-based and unregulated. Another might carry enough alcohol to be a flammable liquid. While both fall under the skincare product category, they're classified differently on the dangerous goods list. So, every SKU needs its own check.
Air freight follows very stringent dangerous goods compliance, which legally prohibits carriers outright from shipping some products by air. You might also come across restrictions set by carriers wherein a carrier might choose not to carry them as a matter of policy.
Another important distinction between air and ground freight for dangerous goods is the mode of transport the product generally prefers. For example, a lithium battery shipment may have different requirements depending on whether it travels by road or air, the battery's watt-hour rating, how it is packed, and the applicable regulatory provision.
It is neither the carrier nor the customer. The obligation sits squarely with the eCommerce brand, consignor, or shipper named in the shipping documents. So you must be aware of the TDG Regulations relevant to your product because, in practice, if you're the one selecting a carrier and preparing a product to hand off to a carrier, you're the consignor, full stop.
That role comes with a specific paper trail. Let’s document them here:
Dangerous goods compliance is not connected to acceptance of the package by the carrier. Carriers that inspect the accompanying documentation might reject a package that does not meet the TDG Regulations. It might not be possible for carriers to check package details thoroughly every time. They rely on you for the same. So the responsibility for compliance accuracy falls on you.
However, irrespective of whether the carrier accepts a package or not, the legal responsibility stays with you even if the package moves through the network without incident for months. It is best to ensure the same; otherwise, the exposure might show up later at an inspection, and you might be financially penalized for the same.
The year 2026 saw two regulatory changes for shipping hazardous materials in Canada. Most sellers were caught off guard because such regulatory changes rarely make headlines outside logistics circles. Let’s take a look at the same here.
Effective January 1, 2026, IATA requires lithium-ion batteries rated above 2.7 watt-hours that are packed with equipment to have no more than 30% of their rated capacity when transported by air. According to the 67th Edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations, related limits were also extended to certain battery-powered vehicles and sodium-ion batteries. This is an air-transport rule only and does not apply to ground shipments.
On June 17, 2026, Transport Canada again opted for another round of amendments to the TDG Regulations. They updated the lithium battery safety mark further to align it more closely with IATA, the US 49 CFR, and the IMDG Code. Amendments included:
A second amendment, published the same day, updated air transport and broader international harmonization provisions.
The previous provisions were to remain active till 17th of June 2027 to allow for a smooth transition from the old to the new.
If your only account is with a carrier that won't touch a given hazard class, there's no fallback. eShipper helps you manage carrier selection for shipments that require specialized handling. Its multi-carrier network gives shippers access to different transportation options. Rather than tying every shipment to a single carrier, you get access to multiple carriers from the same dashboard. So you can check whether a carrier has the necessary expertise for shipping restricted items before going into a commercial partnership with them. The right carrier must still be selected based on the product classification, mode, destination, and applicable carrier requirements.
This is especially fruitful for sellers shipping cross-border. eShipper maintains a very strong US-Canada network. You can leverage this to your advantage because the rules for the same product can diverge meaningfully once it crosses the border.
Shipping hazardous materials can be risky unless you know the nuances of the process or have tied up with a 3PL service provider proficient in the same. The product tends to look completely ordinary and generally has no warning label that offers any reason to think twice. But the consequences can turn out to be serious if you accidentally ship out these restricted items without following applicable TDG Regulations for shipping in Canada. So get the classification, documentation, and carrier match right the first time to stop restricted-item shipments from becoming a recurring risk.
The more immediate consequence is usually procedural, with the carrier holding or returning the parcel. But if it gets caught mid-network instead of at pickup, it can trigger a manual review on your entire shipping account. This account-level scrutiny often leads to disruptions, delays, and penalties.
Yes. Many alcohol-based perfumes, colognes, and many hand sanitizers are classified as flammable liquids because of their ethanol content. Aerosol products like dry shampoo or spray sunscreen also fall under the restricted list because of the presence of compressed gas. But to know the exact status of your cosmetic, you must check the actual composition on the product’s Safety Data Sheet.
Start with the manufacturer’s Safety Data Sheet(SDS) and manufacturer’s transport information, then verify the classification and applicable TDG requirements before shipping.
You can cross-check these against your carrier’s hazmat list to conclusively verify if your product needs the dangerous goods shipping label.
eCommerce employees do not normally need TDG training unless they handle goods that are classified as dangerous or restricted. However, TDG knowledge is compulsory for people working with carriers involved in the transport of dangerous goods. Such people not only need to be trained adequately, but they also need to hold a training certificate or work under the direct supervision of someone who is. So TDG training is not industry-based. It is role-based. An ecommerce employee packing and shipping a Class 3 or Class 9 item needs TDG training, but someone in customer service or marketing doesn’t.
In Canada, TDG Regulations are a set of federal rules governing how hazardous products are classified, packaged, labeled, and transported. They are enforced under the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act and apply to all sellers dealing in the transport of dangerous goods within Canada and across the border.