Have some dangerous household items like chemicals and gases that you need moved but are not sure if your movers can legally transport them to your new home?
Not to worry! Within this guide you will find the dangerous goods that movers can and cannot relocate for you - mostly for public safety reasons.
Follow this list closely to save time on moving day and make sure to disclose to your movers whether or not there are any items among your household goods that may pose a hazard.
The Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act
 According to the Transportation of Dangerous Goods Act, the driver of the company you have hired has final say in whether or not to move any goods which they deem dangerous.
If your request to transport something makes them in any way uncomfortable or they deem it unsafe - to themselves, their staff, their vehicle or their vehicle's contents - they are required by law to refuse shipping services.
Dangerous items that are moveable
Some so-called dangerous household items pose no problems to you or your moving company. These include:
- Household cleaners - any commercial product used to clean your home - Windex, Ajax, etc.
- Nail polish, nail polish remover and perfume
- Art supplies - with the exception of supplies that are flammable
- Photography supplies -chemicals used to develop photos
Distinguishing allowable dangerous goods
Allowable dangerous household items must be packed separately in a box clearly marked, “Consumer Commodity - Dangerous Goods Exempt” and you must point it out to your movers during the loading process.
You must also declare that these are the only dangerous items in your shipment, a declaration that should be found within your bill of lading.
Dangerous household items that cannot be moved
- Gases and propellants - gasoline, propane, kerosene, lighter fluid, naptha, liquefied petroleum gases, aerosol cans that are not toiletries, BBQ tanks, oxygen, helium, acetylene, butane lighters and fire extinguishers
- Explosives - ammunition, fireworks, flares, detonation devices, blasting caps or industrial explosives
- Flammable solids - matches, fuel, BBQ starter tablets, sterno cooking fuel, hay, straw, wood chips or oily rags
- Corrosives - battery alkaline or acid, with the exception of an installed car battery being shipped
- Household chemicals - bleach, peroxide, disinfectants, cleaning fluid like ammonia or turpentine, oven cleaner, lye, acids, oil-based paint and paint thinners
- Outdoor supplies - pesticides with arsenic, strychnine or cyanide, fertilizers with ammonium nitrate, pool chemicals such as chlorine, wood preservatives, pesticides, herbicides, fumigants
- Chemistry sets
- Anything flammable
What to do with non-moveable items
So what do you do with the various dangerous household items that moving companies cannot bring to your new home? You have a few options:
- Dispose of these household items safely and properly before your move (most landfills have rules for how to get rid of hazardous items properly)
- Transport non-allowable goods in your own vehicle (with caution)
What not to do with non-moveable items
Do not, under any circumstances, try to hide dangerous or hazardous household items in with your shipment.
Not only could it place the contents of the vehicle and its inhabitants in danger, but it could also render your liability and insurance null and void.
TIP: If you are unsure of whether or not you can pack something, double check with the company you have hired as every moving service is different. |