USPS confiscating items and holding them for ransom

[bigmatt45]

Recently shipped a bare power tool.  Reused the box it came in as a shipping box.  The box had no labels on it but did have a color photo of the tool with a lithium ion battery on the tool.  There are no haz mat stickers on the box and the item was shipped regular ground advantage.  Two weeks go buy and there is no movement on the tracking.  Then i get a certified letter from a usps run hazmat disposal facility.  The letter basically says my item was confiscated for being class 9 hazmat due to the lithium ion battery.  I can either drive to the facility (2.5 hours away) or i can authorize the usps to dispose of it and there is a charge for that option.  I sent an email saying it is not hazmat and that i authorize them to open it to inspect it and then forward to the buyer.  Usps employee says it is class 9 and not allowed in the mail stream, says that only options are what i stated above.  Anyone have this happen to them?  My item is not hazmat and not labeled as hazmat.

[ltldpr]

You don't happen to know anyone in or near the city where the facility is who could pick it up for you, do you?

Edit: clarity

[12345jamesstamps]

Doesn't matter what is in it and no one cares.

If there were just clothes in the box it would still not be mailed.

What matters is what is stated on the box on the outside of the box...

If you had put it in a box as an example...on the outside of a box states"wine...alcohol...etc" ...it would not be mailed as well.

Should have covered what is stated on the outside of box with paper and tape and such...

A brown paper bag covering the box would have been OK.

[bigmatt45]

Postal regulations state to cover hazmat stickers and prior shipping labels.  They dont mention anything about covering product pictures.  The battery shown in the photo is also allowed in the mail stream.  Its just a small drill battery, usps hazmat employee stated no batteries are allowed.  

[bigmatt45]

Unfortunately she said only the sender or receiver can pick it up.  I am 2.5 hours away and the receiver is around 22 hours away

[12345jamesstamps]

'Postal regulations state'...true...only wish everyone who works in the USPS is on the same page.

I mail all my items in person at the USPS post office and usually 3-4 times a week.

And I see a lot of things.

Sometimes one gets a better perspective of what could happen in person at a post office...I have seen a lot.

We have new employees and old employees...guess who takes care of my packages...old employees.

[wastingtime101]

You have to be really careful because USPS is seriously cracking down on hazmat these days. While some types of lithium batteries can be mailed, there are very strict regulations for service type, packaging, and outer package markings. Other types of lithium batteries cannot be mailed. Whatever was pictured on the box you used was found to be Class 9 hazmat which is nonmailable without the proper packaging and markings.

More details in USPS pub52:

https://pe.usps.com/text/pub52/pub52c3_028.htm

Have you ever read USPS rules about shipping alcohol? And how even if you're not shipping alcohol, you cannot use a box with alcoholic markings? Same applies here. Next time use a plain box or turn the box inside-out, assuming whatever you're shipping can be shipped per USPS guidelines. If you shipped a power drill with a lithium battery then it cannot be mailed without following USPS guidelines for packing and outer package markings and stickers.

[simba6]

color photo of the tool with a lithium ion battery

Yea, that is like yelling hi jack in an airport.

[orangehound]

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@simba6 wrote:

color photo of the tool with a lithium ion battery

Yea, that is like yelling hi jack in an airport.

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Or carrying a box at the airport with a picture of a bomb on the box.

😁

[ltldpr]

I guess you either make the drive, or they send you a bill for the destruction charge? 

How much did they say they'd charge you?

[bigmatt45]

Arent ALL lithium batteries class 9?  

[wastingtime101]

Yes, they are all class 9. Sorry if my above post was not clear. I revised my above post to add the clarity "nonmailable without the proper markings". There are batteries that are mailable and others that are not mailable due to limitations on quantity, shipping service, whether or not the battery is contained inside a unit, etc.

A lithium battery with a drill is mailable, however your package did not contain the proper hazmat markings which is why it was seized.