The majority of products are safe to be used by consumers, and they are also safe for brands to sell on Amazon. People want them, and sellers are willing to offer them. But certain items fall into another category. These are items that are hazardous or materials that are hazardous (hazmat abbreviated as hazmat).
Hazmat products are made up of elements that pose a risk to the consumer up to a certain point. Think of automobile parts, electronic devices and oils, or cosmetics.
Amazon FBA sellers must know what products could pose health or safety hazards. So, companies can guarantee secure transport, storage and handling transportation and use of such products.
The marketplace is blessed with guidelines for regulating and selling hazardous goods. Today, we’ll examine Amazon Hazmat Policy for Sellers 2022 to preserve the integrity of its market.
What are considered to be hazardous Materials?
Dangerous products extend beyond weapons, explosives, and narcotics. Amazon’s hazmat products are constructed using flammable or toxic components. For instance:
- Lithium Batteries powered products. Smartphones, laptops, cameras, tablets, chargers, or laptops.
- Products with magnetized material. Light meters and a few kids’ toys.
- Chemicals that are not harmful. Adhesives, glues, deodorant sprays, hairsprays, dyes, or insect-control products.
Amazon permits FBA sellers to sell the following classes of products in limited quantities:
- Flammable solids and liquids, as well as gases
- Non-flammable and safe gases
- Organic peroxides and oxidizers
- Substances that are toxic and corrosive
- Diverse hazardous substances, like magnetized and lithium batteries
The following categories are now prohibited from being used in FBA sales:
- Toxic gases and explosive substances
- Substances that can be dangerous when wet or subject to spontaneous combustion
- Radioactive materials and infectious substances
The products that contain these chemicals can be harmful if stored or handled improperly. This is why sellers must recognize hazardous products and sell them with caution on Amazon.
How to recognize hazmat-related products
To identify hazardous products, Look at ASIN designations on Seller Central. This will allow you to identify any hazardous products in your listings.
Another option is to look for the Safety Data Sheet (SDS). Manufacturers provide this to retailers. The SDS contains the classification of the hazard of each product.
Here’s a brief list of hazardous products that Amazon could control. Check out the full list here.
| Category | Items |
|---|---|
| Apparel | Stain removers Hat stiffeners Apparel with rechargeable batteries |
| Baby | Antibacterial items looming and skincare products |
| Books | Song books E-book devices Magazines with beauty samples |
| Food and beverages | Aromatic and essential oils, Foods in aerosol or pressurized containers Spirits High-alcohol goods |
| Health and household | Cleaners and cleansers Dishwashing or laundry powders and liquids |
| Home improvement | Insect and pest control drills |
| Office | Toners and cartridge equipment cleansers Highlighters, markers, pens, and refills |
| Pet products | Ear and eye care Pest control tch remedies Deodorizers |
| Shoes and bags | Light-up shoes sole and shoe stain remover Shoe polish |
| Video games | Controllers Headsets Gamepads |
Amazon Hazmat Policy: Dangerous Goods Review Process
Amazon has a Dangerous Goods team ready to examine every ASIN changed to Fulfillment By Amazon (FBA). The team’s goal is to ensure that hazmat items are safe for Amazon’s requirements.
The team uses information about the catalog provided by sellers. Therefore, you must supply accurate and complete information about your listing to Amazon. This includes:
- Product Title
- Description of the details
- Bullet points
- Images or pictures
The catalog’s information might be changed and require a second review. In certain cases, Amazon may reclassify the product. Be aware that products powered by batteries and that do not contain harmful chemicals need a Safety Data Sheet.
Then, Amazon reviews the data and then categorizes the item. If all the information is correct, processing can take two days. Sellers can then use FBA to keep and then ship their items.
Some products could be deemed risky if they are already at the store.
In these instances, Amazon grants 14 business days to ensure that the product meets security compliance requirements. In the absence of this, you may risk delivery delays, delivery cancellation, or stock removal.
Additionally, any incorrect or insufficient information could result in sales being blocked. The most likely scenario is that sellers could lose their selling rights on Amazon.
FBA Dangerous Goods Program
Amazon offers the FBA Dangerous Goods Program. It’s specifically designed for companies selling FBA-compliant items classified as hazardous products.
The US program is currently on a waitlist of interested sellers. To be added to the waitlist, you have to do the following:
- Log into Seller Central.
- Visit Manage Dangerous Goods Classification.
- Select to select the FBA Dangerous Goods option in the program.
- Click Apply to the FBA Dangerous Goods program.
Certain sellers may be placed on the waiting list in minutes. This happens if the products are classified as dangerous products.
The marketplace will notify sellers of the possibility of enrolling in the program. After registering, Amazon will transfer your products to a certified warehouse to handle hazardous materials.
FBA Dangerous Goods Sellers may ship additional items in the warehouse.
They should only be following the following guidelines:
- Ship FBA-approved products.
- The items must be in a pristine state.
- Limitations on the number of packs as specified by Title 49 of the Electronic Code of Federal Regulations
However, certain hazardous items are not suitable to be eligible for FBA delivery and storage. But, you can sell these items on Amazon if you manage the fulfillment and delivery.
Notice: Dangerous Goods items are Prime eligible. But, certain products don’t qualify for 2-day shipping. This is due to transportation rules since certain products are only suitable for delivery on the ground.
FBA Storage of Hazmat Products
As we’ve mentioned before, Hazmat products are stored in specialized fulfillment centers. These warehouses are specifically designed to handle and store hazardous goods.
There are two types of FBA hazardous products: aerosol and flammable. Amazon will store these items in small quantities to safeguard employees.
Sellers can view their limits on storage for hazardous products by visiting Seller Central. Look it up in the Storage Monitor section. It’s accessible via shipping Queue or Inventory Performance.
Of course, Amazon has monthly FBA charges to store hazardous goods. To determine these costs be aware of the kind of hazardous item and the amount it will require for warehouse storage.
Notice: Hazmat storage limit is not based on Inventory Performance Index but market performance.
FBA Onsite Dangerous Goods
Consider FBA Onsite a combination of FBA and Seller-Fulfilled Prime (SFP). Amazon optimizes the warehouse of a seller to increase efficiency in management and fulfillment.
Brands can utilize Amazon’s exclusive software warehouse to handle their stock. Also, Amazon selects a registered shipping company to deliver your products and international delivery.
It’s an excellent program that checks the quality of your product packaging, quality, and shipping.
However, FBA Onsite does have one disadvantage. The program does not accept requests to handle hazardous products, at least for now.
Therefore, if the product has been classified as risky, it won’t be available on Amazon. However, Amazon also has a waiting list of FBA On-site sellers looking to sell hazmat-related items.
Here’s how:
- Contact For Support On-Site.
- You’d like to market five ASINs that are hazmat (at).
- Be patient and wait for the verdict.
The marketplace will assess your capability to handle hazardous products. This includes training and conformity with Amazon’s policies on dangerous goods.
Seller Compliance and Responsibility and the Seller’s Reputation
Hazmat products shipped to Amazon should be regulated according to appropriate guidelines and standards. Hazardous products must be subject to these laws within the US:
- US DOT Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
- Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
- Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR)
- Globally Harmonized System (GHS) of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals
All dangerous products must comply with the regulations applicable to them. You should also supply complete information about the product, current SDS, and an exemption form.
How to submit the SDS and Exemption sheet
It is recommended to provide an authentic SDS at the beginning. This will speed up the process of reviewing hazmats.
As we have said, the safety data sheets will tell you the presence of hazardous components—for instance, items powered by batteries or products containing chemicals.
If you cannot receive an SDS, however, the product doesn’t contain dangerous chemicals, you may make an exemption document. This is how you can do it:
- Download the template sheet on the Manage dangerous goods classification website.
- Complete all relevant fields, including ASIN and warning label acknowledgments.
- Return to the Control dangerous goods classification.
- Choose the ASIN marketplace, ASIN and the language used in the file.
- Please select one of the sheets that are not included (it must not exceed 20MB).
- Click on “Upload File.”
- Repeat the process for additional sheets.
You may also upload exemption forms for batteries-powered products. A member of the Dangerous Goods team will take four business days to read the documents.
Final Thoughts on Amazon Hazmat Policy
Unsafe practices lead to accidents and losses. Always inspect the components of your equipment to determine if they contain hazardous substances.
Sellers should be able to identify any hazardous product on their listing. Then, they must strive to make handling the product as safe as possible.
Consider it as a benefit that will last. Your employees can manage, store, and safely deliver items. Customers can have a safe and secure experience with the product.a
This is Amazon’s goal with its Amazon Hazmat Policy. Make sure you adhere to these safety guidelines always. You’ll be able to protect your company and the market.