UN/NA Number Reference
DOT Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods placard

UN 2590: White asbestos (chrysotile)

49 CFR 172.101 Hazardous Materials Table·ERG 2024

DOT Classification and Shipping

UN 2590 is assigned the proper shipping name White asbestos (chrysotile) in the U.S. DOT Hazardous Materials Table (49 CFR 172.101). It is classified as a Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Goods material, Packing Group III. Required label(s): 9.

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 171)

Hazards: May cause irritation. Some materials may be harmful if inhaled or swallowed.

Fire: Use water spray, foam, dry chemical, CO2.

Spill: Absorb with earth, sand, or vermiculite. Prevent runoff.

Chemical and Physical Properties

Asbestos, white is a white asbestos is a slender, fine, flaxy fiber. Long term occupational exposure to the dust can result in lung cancer. Asbestos is resistant to fire and most solvents. The primary hazard is the threat to the environment. Immediate steps should be taken to limit its spread to the environment. It is used as a heat resistant material, in cement, furnace bricks, and brake linings.

CAS Number: 12001-29-5
Molecular Formula: H4Mg3O9Si2
Molecular Weight: Variable g/mol
Color / Form: Crystal system: monoclinic (pseudoorthorhombic); usually white to grayish green; may have tan coloration
Boiling Point: N/A (mineral fiber)
Melting Point: 1112 °F (Decomposes) (NIOSH, 2024)
Specific Gravity: 2.4-2.6 (solid)
Vapor Pressure: 0 mmHg
Water Solubility: Insoluble

Special Provisions

49 CFR 172.102 special provision codes for this entry: 156, IB8, IP2, IP3, T1, TP33. 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 2590 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.