Q: When should you use a Salvage Drum? 

A: You should always use a Salvage Drum to ship “...packages of hazardous materials that are damaged, defective, or found leaking and hazardous materials that have spilled or leaked...”  according to DOT regulations [49CFR173.3 (c)].   What constitutes a hazardous substance is defined in EPA regulations.  Packing the materials in a Salvage Drum is the only way to legally manifest the hazardous substance for transport.  It should be noted that it is the shipper’s responsibility to provide packaging which complies with all applicable regulations.