UN/NA Number Reference
DOT Class 6.1 Toxic Substance placard

UN 1846: Carbon tetrachloride

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table·ERG 2024

DOT Classification and Shipping

UN 1846 is assigned the proper shipping name Carbon tetrachloride in the U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101). It is classified as a Class 6.1 Toxic Substance material, Packing Group II. Required label(s): 6.1.

Packing group indicates the degree of danger within a hazard class: PG I is high danger, PG II medium, PG III low. The proper shipping name, hazard class, UN number, and packing group together form the basic shipping description that must appear on shipping papers and, where required, on the package and placard.

Emergency Response (ERG Guide 151)

Hazards: TOXIC. May be fatal if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through skin. Contact may cause burns.

Fire: Use agent appropriate for surrounding fire. Cool containers with water.

Spill: Do not touch. Avoid inhalation. Use water spray to reduce dust/vapor. Ventilate.

Chemical and Physical Properties

Carbon tetrachloride appears as a clear colorless liquid with a characteristic odor. Denser than water (13.2 lb / gal) and insoluble in water. Noncombustible. May cause illness by inhalation, skin absorption and/or ingestion. Used as a solvent, in the manufacture of other chemicals, as an agricultural fumigant, and for many other uses.

CAS Number: 56-23-5
Molecular Formula: CCl4
Molecular Weight: 153.8 g/mol
Color / Form: Liquid
Odor: Sweet
Boiling Point: 170.1 F
Melting Point: -9 °F (NTP, 1992)
Autoignition: Not flammable (USCG, 1999)
Specific Gravity: 1.59 (sinks in water)
Vapor Pressure: 91 mmHg at 68 F
Vapor Density: 5.3 (heavier than air)
Water Solubility: less than 1 mg/mL at 70 F
Log P: log Kow = 2.83

Regulatory Data

CERCLA RQ (40 CFR 302.4)
10 lb
OSHA PEL
TWA 10 ppm C 25 ppm 200 ppm (5-minute maximum peak in any 4 hours)
NIOSH REL
Ca ST 2 ppm (12.6 mg/m 3 ) [60-minute]
IDLH
Ca [200 ppm]
RCRA Waste Code(s)
[object Object], [object Object]

A release of this material at or above its CERCLA reportable quantity (10 lb) requires immediate notification to the National Response Center at 800-424-8802.

Special Provisions

49 CFR 172.102 special provision codes for this entry: IB2, N36, T7, TP2. These codes modify the general requirements (packaging, quantity limits, exceptions) for this specific material. Look up each code in 49 CFR 172.102 for the full text.

Need the full interactive record? Open UN 1846 in the SpillNerd lookup tool for the live database entry with placard graphics, GHS pictograms, full segregation tables, and synonym search. For another material, use the UN number and chemical lookup.

Reference data compiled from the DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101), the 2024 Emergency Response Guidebook, and public chemical databases (PubChem, NIOSH, EPA). Always verify the correct shipping description against the current regulation and the manufacturer's SDS Section 14 before shipping.