Tech Tips

NON-HAZARDOUS... What does that mean?

Question: I recently purchased phosphate and nitrate modules from the AM-12 water testing kit. Your website states that the TesTabs® used in this kit are non-hazardous. When I received the goods they were accompanied by an MSDS which listed the hazardous ingredients contained in the tablets, such as ammonium molybdate. …seeking clarification on whether the TesTabs® are non-hazardous or not.

Answer: From our LaMotte Regulatory Affairs Manager - What the description "non-hazardous TesTabs®" is trying to convey is:

1) None of the tablets, packaged as they are in foil strips and small quantities, are classified as shipping hazards by U.S. or International transportation regulations; a customer will not incur hazardous materials shipping fees.

2) Under normal and expected conditions of use (i.e. opening the foil package, dropping the tablet into the water sample without handling it or playing with it unnecessarily, discarding the tested water sample, even combining the wrong tablets in a sample tube, etc.) there is no potential harm to the user, youth or adult. The tablet form of reagents is generally safer than liquids, which can spill, leak, or splash. But no one should assume that a "non-hazardous" chemical product, from any manufacturer, can be ingested like candy or used for some food, drug, or cosmetic purpose without any effect on any user!

The term "hazardous" is not synonymous with "toxic" or "poisonous". A small amount of a hazardous ingredient does not make the tablet hazardous. By far the main ingredients in our tablets are salt, sugar, lactose, inert fillers, and citric acid (lemon juice) to hold the tablet together or buffer the pH. In most of the tablets the content of any toxic material in a 100 milligram tablet is so small that a 40 kilogram (88 lb) human would have to swallow much more than 100 tablets to do irreversible harm. OSHA (U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration) requires MSDS under the "Hazard Communication Standard" if potentially hazardous chemicals are present at 1% or greater (or at 0.1% or more for any chemical anticipated to be a human carcinogen). LaMotte's tablet reagents do not contain any known carcinogens.