Guidance

Transporting category A pathogens by road

Updated 27 August 2025

Applies to England, Scotland and Wales

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This publication is available at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/carriage-of-dangerous-goods-guidance-note-24/guidance-note-24201rev-carriage-by-road-of-rastes-and-contaminants-from-category-a-pathogens-for-health-professionals

What are category A pathogens

Category A pathogens are pathogens that are capable of causing permanent disability, life-threatening or fatal disease.

You can find an indicative table of category A pathogens in section 2.63 of Volume 1 of the UN Model Regulations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods.

The table in the UN Model Regulations is not exhaustive. Infectious substances, including new or emerging pathogens, will be assigned to Category A. If there is any doubt about whether or not a substance meets the criteria, it needs to be classed as Category A.

This guidance focuses on pathogens that are category A even in non-cultured form.

Transporting the pathogens

The situations most likely to result in the need to transport category A pathogens are:

  • specimens taken from a patient for the purpose of establishing or confirming diagnosis
  • wastes arising from the admittance or care of the patient - for example, clothes, dressings and soiled bedding

Materials transported either once a positive diagnosis has been made or (in exceptional cases) while awaiting one, should be classified as category A. These will be classed as either:

  • UN2814 for specimens
  • UN3549 for wastes

Materials transported if a diagnosis has proved negative should be treated as non-infectious or Category B, as appropriate.

For this reason, we advise that wastes should not be moved until a diagnosis has been made.

This should be understood alongside the recommendation that Category A wastes should not be accumulated for more than 24 hours.

Read NHS guidance on the safe and sustainable management of healthcare waste.

Wastes should not be treated as more dangerous than they actually are if it is reasonable to establish their relative lack of hazard (category B or non-infectious) before movement.

Packaging

All category A pathogens must be transported in the appropriate category A packaging.

Packaging for specimens

Approved packagings for specimens can be identified by the appearance of ‘CLASS 6.2’ in the packaging approval code.

This is an example of a packaging approval code:

UN 4G/CLASS 6.2/14/NL/123456

This code is marked on the packaging and is prefixed with ‘UN’ or this symbol:

Sourcing packaging for specimens

You may use any packaging approved anywhere for the relevant purpose. 

You can find contact details for suppliers for UK-approved packagings on the VCA packagings database.

Search for ‘CLASS’ on the lists for each packaging type.

The database also gives information about: 

  • the sort of specimens the packaging can be used with 
  • packaging dimensions

Packaging for wastes

Packagings for waste must meet UN standard P622.

They may have a reference to ‘P622’ or ‘LP622’ in the approval documentation. If not, you should check with the packaging supplier that the packaging has been approved to meet this packing instruction. 

The only packagings currently UK-approved for P622 are GB/7025, GB/7027, GB/7425 and GB/7657. 

Sourcing packaging for wastes

You can find contact details for suppliers for these packagings on the VCA database.

The database also gives information about: 

  • the sort of waste the packaging can be used with 
  • packaging dimensions

Look for the relevant certificate numbers on the Clinical waste packaging list.

Apply for a derogation

If you are not able to source UN-approved packaging, you can apply for an authorisation to use alternative packaging arrangements of an equivalent level of safety.

You must have made all efforts to source the UN-approved packaging first.

To apply for an authorisation you should contact either:

The authorisation will only grant you a derogation from the normal packaging requirements.  You must still comply with all other regulatory requirements- for example, ‘ADR licence’ for the driver, suitable equipment on the vehicle.

Northern Ireland

This guidance only applies to Great Britain, but the recommendations are relevant in Northern Ireland. The Health and Safety Executive for Northern Ireland (HSENI) may issue supplementary guidance. Formal authorisations for transport within Northern Ireland must be obtained from the HSENI.

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