Updated dangerous goods regulations will come into force on January 1, 2025. They will introduce new UN numbers for dangerous goods and new regulations for transporting batteries, for example. A transitional period will apply for the first half of 2025. The exception is air transport, where most of the new regulations must be implemented from January 1, 2025.
Dangerous goods regulations are updated regularly in response to changing requirements and safety standards. New regulations for transport by road (ADR), rail (RID), and inland waterways (and) will come into force on January 1 but with a six-month transitional period until June 30, 2025. During this period, companies will be able to make the necessary adjustments. A longer transitional period may apply for certain situations.
A special focus is on transport by air, where usually no transitional period applies. Therefore, companies which ship dangerous goods by air must comply with the regulations as soon as they come into force on January 1, 2025. This often impacts the entire logistics chain because the early adoption of the new regulations may also be necessary for other modes of transport to ensure uniformity when transporting dangerous goods.
The most important amendments to the dangerous goods regulations 2025 include:
- the introduction of new UN numbers – four-digit numbers for labeling dangerous goods;
- new regulations for transporting lithium and sodium batteries, which represent a particular danger because of the potential fire risk. For this reason, more detailed specifications have been defined for packaging, labeling, and documentation;
- new structures and regulations for transporting electric vehicles.
Other sectors are affected as well. For some years, work has been ongoing to optimize the way the special requirements of waste disposal are combined with dangerous goods regulations. Corresponding amendments will also be made in this respect in 2025. The text of the amendments to the German version of ADR 2025, for example, covers 103 pages. Affected companies should address this matter as soon as possible to determine whether they are impacted by the amendments and adapt their transportation processes. Not all of the amendments will lead to a tightening of the regulations; in some cases, they may also result in simplification.
With its German-wide network of experienced dangerous goods experts, DEKRA is supporting the implementation of the new regulations.
