Class 6 — Toxic and infectious substances
Summary
Division 6.1 toxic substances cause death, injury, or harm to human health if swallowed, inhaled, or absorbed through skin (pesticides, cyanides, arsenic compounds, some chemotherapy reagents, mercury compounds, organic peroxides at certain concentrations). Division 6.2 infectious substances contain or are reasonably expected to contain pathogens — Category A is biological material capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening or fatal disease in humans or animals (Ebola, smallpox, anthrax cultures), Category B is biological material with lower risk (most diagnostic specimens, blood for serology). Class 6 carriage rules are uniformly tight in passenger baggage; medical-isotope shipments and clinical-trial specimens dominate the cargo side under specialised packaging requirements.
Packing / quantity notes
Medical / diagnostic specimens have specific packaging and labelling (P650) and are usually cargo-only.
Examples
- Concentrated pesticides
- Mercury thermometers (historical; phased out under UN Minamata Convention)
- Laboratory biological specimens