The Complete Guide to Safe & Compliant Bulk Packaging for Hazardous Materials

UN Certified FIBCs: The Complete Guide to Safe & Compliant Bulk Packaging for Hazardous Materials

Transporting hazardous materials requires packaging that meets the highest global safety standards. UN Certified FIBC bags are engineered, tested, and approved to handle dangerous goods across international supply chains without risk of leakage, failure, or contamination.

At Flextons Packaging, we design and supply UN-compliant bulk bags that meet the United Nations Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods (UN Orange Book), ensuring safety, traceability, and reliability for every shipment.

What Are UN Certified FIBC Bags?

A UN Certified FIBC (Flexible Intermediate Bulk Container) is a bulk bag that has passed mandatory UN testing for safe transport of hazardous materials.
These bags meet strict requirements for:

• Structural strength

• Impact resistance

• Stability during stacking and lifting

• Chemical compatibility

• Leakage and retention

UN FIBCs are essential for industries such as chemicals, minerals, pharma intermediates, agriculture chemicals, and hazardous waste handling.

UN Hazard Classes Suitable for FIBC Bags

UN Certified bags are approved for specific classes of dangerous goods, including:

• Class 4.1 – Flammable solids

• Class 4.2 – Spontaneously combustible materials

• Class 4.3 – Dangerous when wet

• Class 5.1 – Oxidizing substances

• Class 5.2 – Organic peroxides

• Class 6.1 – Toxic substances

• Class 8 – Corrosive substances

• Class 9 – Miscellaneous hazardous materials

These classifications determine the design, materials, testing level, and packaging group required for compliance.

UN Packing Groups: I, II, and III (X, Y, Z Ratings)

Hazardous goods are divided into three Packing Groups, based on the danger level:

Degree of DangerPacking GroupUN SymbolMax Volume for FIBCHighIX1.5 m³MediumIIY3.0 m³LowIIIZ3.0 m³

✔ Packing Group I (X-rated bags)

Used for the highest-risk materials, requiring the strongest FIBC performance level.

✔ Packing Group II (Y-rated)

For moderately hazardous products.

✔ Packing Group III (Z-rated)

For lower-risk materials.

Flextons Packaging supplies UN FIBCs across all three packing groups based on material classification and customer safety requirements.

UN FIBC Construction Types Explained

The UN Orange Book defines standardized construction codes for FIBCs:

• 13H1 – Woven PP fabric, uncoated

• 13H2 – Woven PP fabric, coated

• 13H3 – Uncoated fabric + inner liner

• 13H4 – Coated fabric + inner liner

We engineer each type with optimized fabric strength, seam efficiency, and custom liners depending on your hazard class and product density.

UN Mandatory Testing Procedures for Certified FIBCs

Each UN bag must undergo and pass all of the following tests:

1. Top Lift Test (6:1 or 8:1 safety factor)

Ensures the bag maintains structural integrity when lifted under overload.

2. Drop Test

Simulates accidental falls from specific heights.

3. Topple Test

Checks stability when the filled bag is pushed over.

4. Righting Test

Lifts the bag from a horizontal to vertical position to ensure no damage occurs.

5. Stack Test

A 24-hour compression test that checks long-term stacking strength.

6. Tear / Puncture Test

Measures tear propagation when slashed or punctured.

7. Vibration Test

A one-hour shaking cycle ensuring zero leakage.

These tests verify that UN Certified FIBCs can handle real-world hazards during transport, storage, and handling.

How to Read a UN Marking on an FIBC Bag

A typical UN marking may look like this:

13H2/X/06.25/IND/FTX01/3500/1500

This includes:

• 13H2 → FIBC construction type

• X → Packing Group I certification

• 06.25 → Month & year manufactured

• IND → Country of certification

• FTX01 → Manufacturer’s approval code

• 3500 → Stacking test load (kg)

• 1500 → Maximum permissible gross mass

This system ensures complete traceability and compliance, especially during audits and cross-country transport.

Why Choose Flextons Packaging for UN Certified FIBCs?

✔ Fully Compliant With Global Standards

We follow:

• UN Orange Book

• ISO 21898

• ISO 9001:2015

• Customer-specific audit requirements

✔ Superior Material Engineering

High-tenacity polypropylene fabric, UV protection, precision sewing, and controlled coating thickness ensure safe handling.

✔ Digital QA & Traceability

Every batch undergoes:

• Fabric tensile testing

• Seam strength checks

• SWL verification

• Visual inspections

• Documentation storage

• QR codes or RFID can also be added for enhanced tracking (optional).

✔ Custom-Built for Your Product

We design UN bags based on:

• Hazard classification

• Bulk density

• Transport conditions

• Filling/discharge requirements

• Supply-chain handling

Industries That Depend on UN Certified Bulk Bags

• Chemical processing

• Petrochemicals

• Agrochemicals

• Hazardous waste management

• Mining & minerals

• Battery / EV material handling

• Pharmaceutical intermediates

UN FIBCs ensure safe, compliant movement of materials in these sensitive sectors.

Conclusion

UN Certified FIBCs are a critical part of global hazardous-goods logistics. They deliver unmatched safety, structural integrity, and regulatory compliance.

At Flextons Packaging, we manufacture high-performance UN Approved FIBC bags across all packing groups — X, Y, and Z — engineered to protect people, products, and the environment through every stage of transport.