Guidelines and Instructions for Packaging & Shipping Non-Hazardous Materials

 When requested, swabs, sample collection materials, and shipping & packaging materials are available to clients at no extra charge to regular testing fees, provided they are returned to Roesink Microbiology Laboratories, LLC for analysis and cover shipping charges for the delivery of the materials. 

• Non-Hazardous Materials: Package Non-Hazardous Materials a triple packaging consisting of a primary receptacle, a secondary packaging, and a rigid outer packaging and conform to the following provisions for ground based transportation:

• Primary containers in which the samples are collected and stored must be leak proof for liquids and sift proof for solids (sample vial w/cap, medical cup w/ screw cap, etc).

• Contact of primary containers should not occur during shipping.  Separate by placing containers in a rack or individually wrapping each container in a zip lock bag.

• Primary containers must be packed in a leak proof or sift proof secondary packaging (heavy-duty zip lock bag) in such a way that, under normal conditions of transport, they cannot break, be punctured, or leak their contents into the secondary packaging

• Absorbent material must be placed between the primary containers and secondary packaging. The absorbent material must be of sufficient quantity to absorb the entire contents of the primary containers, should they break or leak, and not compromise the integrity of the cushioning material or the outer packaging.

• Secondary packaging must be secured in rigid outer packaging (styrofoam cooler placed inside cardboard box over pack constitutes the rigid outer packaging) with suitable cushioning material such that any leakage of the contents will not impair the protective properties of the cushioning material or the outer packaging.

• Place a Roesink Microbiology Laboratories Sample Submission Form CoC) in a single zip lock bag in the shipping box. Submission forms are available for download at www.rmicrobiolabs.com

• Place the secondary container in the cooler and place a piece of cardboard on top of the secondary container with sufficient absorbent material (paper towels). Finally, place the ice pack that is provided with your kit on top of the cardboard or absorbent material and put the lid on. (Be sure that the lid closes all the way and is not obstructed by anything which could prevent the lid from completing a seal). Samples should maintain a temperature between 0.0�C and 10.0�C.

• The completed package must be filled and closed so that under conditions normally encountered in transportation there will be no release of the samples into the environment.

• Please make sure samples are adequately refrigerated, and properly labeled and addressed, in order top avoid possible delays in shipment. Shipping early in the week helps ensure samples arrive to the lab in a more timely fashion and avoids samples being shipped on weekends, which may further delay the arrival of samples to the laboratory.

 Shipping materials provided by Roesink Microbiology Laboratories, LLC include:

• Cardboard container with appropriate labels

• Styrofoam container (cooler)

• Cardboard rack for separating primary containers

• Ice Packs

• Primary containers

• Secondary containers

• Sample submission forms