§3018 Hazardous Material

Summary

The Postal Service must create rules to keep hazardous materials safe when they are mailed. People may not mail items the law or Postal Service rules say are not allowed. People may not mail hazardous items in ways that break time, place, or handling rules. It is also illegal to make, sell, or label packaging for mailing hazardous goods if the packaging does not meet the Postal Service’s standards. If someone knowingly breaks these rules, they can be fined at least $250 and up to $100,000 for each violation. They must also pay cleanup costs and any damages. “Knowingly” means the person knew what happened or a reasonable person in the same situation would have known. Each day an illegal hazardous item stays in the mail is a separate violation, and each illegal item mailed is a separate violation. The Postal Service must give notice and a chance for a hearing before finding a violation. The Attorney General can sue at the Postal Service’s request and the court can order injunctions, penalties, or punitive damages. Cleanup costs and damages go to the Postal Service Fund; the civil fines and punitive damages go to the U.S. Treasury.