Transport reference
UN 2809 — Mercury
Table A of ADR 2025 and the 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table for this number, kept side by side and never merged, plus the CLP label elements of the substances that ship under it.
The two tables are never merged. The same UN number can carry a different packing group, a different proper shipping name and entirely different special provisions in each system. Every value below sits under the name of the jurisdiction it comes from.
01 · Two jurisdictions
UN 2809 in ADR 2025 and in 49 CFR 172.101
On the fields below the two tables agree for this number. Special provisions are deliberately absent from this comparison: identical code numbers mean different things in the two systems and are never interchangeable.
| Field | ADR 2025 Table A, Chapter 3.2 | 49 CFR 172.101 eCFR 2026-08-03 |
|---|---|---|
| Proper shipping name | MERCURY | Mercury |
| Class or division | 8 | 8 |
| Packing group | III | III |
| Label codes | 8, 6.1 | 8, 6.1 |
| Rows in the table | 1 | 1 |
Sources: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE) · 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03
02 · ADR 2025
UN 2809 in Table A of ADR 2025
One row in Table A of Chapter 3.2. Every value below comes from that row.
| Proper shipping name (3.1.2) | Class | Classification code | PG | Labels | Transport category | Hazard ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MERCURY | 8 | CT1 | III | 8, 6.1 | 3 | 86 |
Source: ADR 2025, Table A of Chapter 3.2 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE). Class 8 is “Corrosive substances” (ADR 2.1.1.1).
Transport category and the 1 000-point exemption
Column (15) of Table A decides whether a load stays under the exemption of ADR 1.1.3.6. Quantities of different categories are added with the multipliers below, and the sum must not exceed 1 000.
| Category | Max total quantity per transport unit | Multiplier in 1.1.3.6.4 | What it means |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 000 | × 1 | Packing group III and the listed classes. |
Source: ADR 2025, 1.1.3.6.3 and 1.1.3.6.4 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE).
Special provisions — ADR 2025, Chapter 3.3
Codes from column (6) of Table A, with the text of Chapter 3.3.1. These are ADR provisions only. A code with the same number exists in 49 CFR 172.102 and means something else there — the two lists are never combined.
| SP 365 | For manufactured instruments and articles containing mercury or gallium, see UN Nos. 3506 or 3554, as appropriate. |
Source: ADR 2025, Chapter 3.3 special provisions · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. I (UNECE)
Carriage provisions — CV codes
| CV13 | Any leaked/spilled substance must be cleaned up before the unit is reused. |
| CV28 | Must be segregated from foodstuffs, other consumables and animal feed (7.5.4). · relevant to segregation on the vehicle |
Source: ADR 2025, 7.5.11 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. II (UNECE)
Not imported and therefore not shown for this number: limited quantities (column 7a), excepted quantities (7b), packing instructions (8), tank codes (10–13) and the tunnel restriction code (15). An empty section is more honest than borrowed text.
03 · United States
UN 2809 in the 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table
One row in the Hazardous Materials Table.
| Symbols (1) | Proper shipping name (2) | Class (3) | PG (5) | Labels (6) | Packaging (8) | Quantity limits (9) | Vessel stowage (10) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A W | Mercury | 8 | III | 8, 6.1 | §173.164 · §173.164 · §173.240 | 35 kg passenger 35 kg cargo | B · 40, 97 |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03. Class 8 is “Corrosive material” (49 CFR 173.2). Packaging cells are section references into 49 CFR part 173: exceptions, non-bulk, bulk. Handling codes in column 10B are defined in 49 CFR 176.84, which is not part of our import — the numbers are shown as printed in the table.
What the column (1) symbols mean
| A | Air only. Subject to the requirements of this subchapter only when offered or intended for transportation by aircraft, unless the material is a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste. |
| W | Vessel only. Subject to the requirements of this subchapter only when offered or intended for transportation by vessel, unless the material is a hazardous substance or a hazardous waste. |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101(b) · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03
Vessel stowage categories on this entry
| B | May be stowed “on deck” or “under deck” on a cargo vessel and on a passenger vessel carrying not more than 25 passengers (or one per 3 m of vessel length); “on deck only” on passenger vessels above that limit. |
Source: 49 CFR 172.101(k) · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03
Special provisions — 49 CFR 172.102
Codes from column (7) of the Hazardous Materials Table, with the text of § 172.102. These are United States provisions only and have nothing to do with the ADR codes above, even where the number is identical.
| 365 | For manufactured instruments and articles containing mercury, see UN3506. |
Source: 49 CFR 172.102 special provisions · eCFR, revision 2026-08-03
04 · Orange plate
The orange-coloured plate for UN 2809
The upper half of the plate carries the hazard identification number, the lower half the UN number. Dimensions follow ADR 5.3.2.2.1: 400 × 300 mm, black border and dividing line 15 mm, figures 100 mm high.
86 — corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, toxic.
| 8 | Corrosivity |
| 6 | Toxicity or risk of infection |
Source: ADR 2025, 5.3.2.3 · ECE/TRANS/352 Vol. II (UNECE). The tunnel restriction code of column (15) is a different value and is not part of our import.
05 · Substances
Substances shipped under UN 2809
Linked by CAS number, never by name: a name match once produced “acetone cyanohydrin” for acetone, and a wrong link here would be a wrong classification. Each entry opens its own reference page with the CLP classification and label elements.
06 · The label side
What UN 2809 looks like on a workplace label
The tables above are the transport classification. This is the other half of the same material: the CLP label elements of the substances linked to this number — what actually goes on the drum once it has been delivered. Transport marks and supply labels answer different regulations and do not replace one another.
Hazard statements on the substances under UN 2809
| H330 | Fatal if inhaled. |
| H360D | May damage the unborn child. |
| H372 | Causes damage to organs <or state all organs affected, if known> through prolonged or repeated exposure <state route of exposure if it is conclusively proven that no other routes of exposure cause the hazard>. |
| H400 | Very toxic to aquatic life. |
| H410 | Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects. |
Source: harmonised classification, EU CLP Annex VI. Transport classification and supply classification are decided under different rules and do not have to agree.
07 · FAQ
UN 2809 — frequently asked questions
What is UN 2809?
UN 2809 is the United Nations number for Mercury. Under ADR 2025 it is assigned to class 8 (corrosive substances), classification code CT1.
What packing group is UN 2809?
Under ADR 2025 UN 2809 is packing group III.
Is UN 2809 classified the same way in the United States and in Europe?
On the fields we hold — proper shipping name, class, packing group and label codes — ADR 2025 and the 49 CFR 172.101 table agree for UN 2809. Special provisions still differ and are never interchangeable between the two systems.
What is the hazard identification number for UN 2809?
The orange-coloured plate for UN 2809 carries the hazard identification number 86 above the UN number. Under ADR 5.3.2.3.2 that number means: corrosive or slightly corrosive substance, toxic.
What is the transport category of UN 2809?
Column (15) of Table A puts UN 2809 in transport category 3. Under ADR 1.1.3.6.3 the maximum total quantity per transport unit for that category is 1 000.
Which substances ship under UN 2809?
We hold 1 substance linked to UN 2809 by CAS number, 1 of which also has a full safety data sheet on this site. Each one has its own reference page with the CLP classification, GHS pictograms and hazard statements that apply on the label — the workplace side of the same material.
Need the plate, the labels or the placards printed?
The orange plate above is a physical article, and so are the class labels in column (5). Our sister site GHSLabels.com covers printing and suppliers. For the workplace label of the same material, use the GHS label constructor, and browse other numbers in the UN number reference.
Reference aid only. Values are reproduced from ADR 2025 and the 49 CFR 172.101 table as published; the consignor remains responsible for the classification of a specific consignment. Always verify against the current published regulation and the supplier's safety data sheet.