Guide · · 12 min read
Dangerous Goods (TDG) & Battery Shipping Compliance in Canada
Aerosols, lithium batteries, flammables, and many everyday products are regulated dangerous goods. Getting TDG wrong is expensive and dangerous — here's the practical view.
A surprising share of ordinary e-commerce products are legally classified as dangerous goods: lithium batteries (and anything containing them), aerosols, many cosmetics and cleaning products, nail polish, perfumes, lighters, and more. In Canada, moving these is governed by the Transportation of Dangerous Goods (TDG) regulations, and air shipments add a second layer of international rules. Non-compliance isn't a paperwork nuisance — it carries real safety risk, carrier rejection, fines, and liability. This guide gives a practical, non-legal overview of how TDG affects e-commerce fulfillment, with special focus on lithium batteries, the most common trap.
What actually counts as dangerous goods
Dangerous goods are materials that pose a risk during transport and are grouped into hazard classes — explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidizers, toxic and corrosive substances, and miscellaneous dangerous goods (which includes lithium batteries). The catch for e-commerce is that many everyday consumer products fall into these classes: an aerosol deodorant is a gas under pressure, perfume is a flammable liquid, and a wireless device is a lithium-battery shipment. The first compliance step is simply knowing which of your SKUs are regulated — a determination that should happen before you ever list them, using the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS).
The most common TDG failure in e-commerce isn't bad paperwork — it's not realizing a product is regulated at all. Check the SDS for every SKU that could contain a battery, propellant, flammable, or chemical.
Lithium batteries: the number-one e-commerce trap
Lithium batteries are the most frequently mishandled dangerous good in e-commerce because they're everywhere — phones, laptops, power banks, toys, tools, e-bikes, and countless devices. Rules differ based on whether the battery is shipped alone, packed with equipment, or installed in equipment, and on its watt-hour rating. Ground and air have different requirements, with air being far stricter. Damaged, defective, or recalled lithium batteries have their own elevated rules and are often barred from normal transport entirely. Getting battery shipments right means correct classification, approved packaging, proper marks and labels, and — for many shipments — specific documentation.
Lithium batteries: the number-one e-commerce trap
Labeling, marks, and documentation
Compliant dangerous-goods shipments require the right combination of UN number, proper shipping name, hazard-class labels, handling marks, and — depending on the goods and mode — a dangerous-goods shipping document. Air shipments must additionally meet international dangerous-goods rules, which are stricter and more documentation-heavy than ground. The packaging itself often must be UN-specification tested for the hazard class. Because the specifics vary by product, class, quantity, and mode, this is an area where a documented, audited process beats ad-hoc judgement on the packing floor.
- Correct UN number and proper shipping name for each regulated SKU
- Required hazard-class labels and handling marks on the package
- UN-specification packaging where the class requires it
- Dangerous-goods documentation appropriate to the mode (ground vs air)
- Stricter handling for damaged/defective/recalled lithium batteries
Training and carrier requirements
Under TDG, people who handle, offer for transport, or transport dangerous goods must be trained and certified for their role. Carriers also impose their own acceptance requirements and may refuse non-compliant shipments outright. This means dangerous-goods fulfillment isn't something to improvise during a peak rush — it depends on trained staff, a controlled process, and carrier relationships that accept your specific goods. Brands shipping regulated products should confirm their fulfillment partner has trained personnel and a documented TDG process before the first order ships.
How ByExpress handles regulated products
ByExpress works with brands whose catalogs include regulated items — batteries, cosmetics, aerosols, and similar consumer dangerous goods — using trained staff, controlled storage, correct classification and labeling, and carrier services that accept the relevant hazard classes. We help brands identify which SKUs are regulated up front and build a compliant, repeatable packing and documentation process so regulated orders ship safely and without carrier rejections.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TDG?
TDG stands for the Transportation of Dangerous Goods regulations — the Canadian rules governing how hazardous materials are classified, packaged, marked, documented, and transported. They apply to many everyday e-commerce products, including lithium batteries, aerosols, perfumes, and certain cosmetics and chemicals.
Are lithium batteries considered dangerous goods?
Yes. Lithium batteries — alone, packed with equipment, or installed in devices — are regulated dangerous goods. Requirements depend on the battery's watt-hour rating, how it's packed, and whether it ships by ground or air (air is stricter). Damaged or recalled batteries face elevated restrictions.
How do I know if my product is a dangerous good?
Check the product's Safety Data Sheet (SDS) and look for a UN number and hazard class. Common red flags are batteries, propellants/aerosols, flammable liquids (perfume, nail polish), and chemicals. Make this determination before listing the product, not at the packing station.
Do my staff need training to ship dangerous goods?
Yes. Under TDG, anyone who handles, offers for transport, or transports dangerous goods must be trained and certified for their function. This is one reason regulated-product fulfillment should run through a partner with trained personnel and a documented process rather than being improvised.
Can I ship dangerous goods by air?
Often yes, but air shipments follow stricter international dangerous-goods rules with more documentation, tighter quantity limits, and specific packaging. Many products that ship readily by ground face additional restrictions by air, so mode selection is part of dangerous-goods compliance, not an afterthought.
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