UN packaging and containers – what you need to know about UN certification

Since 1833, Tournaire, the specialist in aluminium packaging, has developed the experience and know-how that today allows it to offer its customers quality packaging for different sectors of activity: pharmaceutical, agri-food, perfumery and cosmetics. That is why Tournaire aluminium containers benefit from UN certification. But what exactly does that mean?

What is UN-compliant packaging?

A name: a UN-approved hazardous goods container means that it complies with the regulations laid down by the United Nations Organization. Issued by the United Nations, this approval allows the transport of dangerous goods with total safety. This is particularly useful in sensitive sectors such as fine chemistry or crop protection. The approval granted by the United Nations is then valid in an indeterminate way, on condition that it passes an annual inspection carried out by a competent body.

What tests are required for UN certification?

In order for a sensitive materials container to be approved, it must pass a certain number of tests to ensure the transport of hazardous materials with the greatest possible security. For this, there are no less than 6 different tests to ensure the seal and resistance of UN packaging:

• A drop test
• A stacking test
• An air-tightness test
• A hydraulic pressure test
• A test of chemical compatibility
• A permeability test

As these tests must meet a number of strict criteria, which must be performed by competent and independent bodies. You can thus be sure that the tests are carried out separately and in an entirely neutral way to ensure the best protection of raw materials.

Tournaire and UN certification

The packaging proposed by Tournaire is certified for the transport of hazardous goods (UN) as well as for waste recycling. All of Tournaire’s packaging tests are performed by the competent body in France, the Bureau des Vérifications Techniques (BVT). This ensures the optimal transport of your raw materials, whether by road, sea, air or rail, thanks to Tournaire packaging.

But that is not all, since Tournaire meets many other packaging standards to prove the quality of its products. That is why Tournaire packaging is certified:

• ISO (9001 version 2008 & 14001 version 2004)
• MASE (2007)
• UIC accreditation according to standard DT 78 (2007)