Significant changes from CAN/CGSB-43.146-2016 to CAN/CGSB-43.146-2022

The Canadian General Standards Board updated the CAN/CGSB-43.146 standard. The CAN/CGSB-43.146-2022 is based on the 21st edition of the UN Model Regulations.

This document outlines the most significant changes to the standard that are applicable to intermediate bulk container (IBC) manufacturers, users, and leak test and inspection facilities. Not all changes to the standard are covered here.

It is the responsibility of the IBC manufacturer, IBC leak test and inspection facility or IBC user to read and understand the sections of the standard that are applicable to their respective activities, to ensure that they are aware of all the changes.

Updates related to the routine maintenance and repair of IBCs

  • Definition added for routine maintenance (i.e. refurbishing) of IBCs, (Section 3)
  • Section added addressing damaged or defective IBCs and the routine maintenance and repair of damaged or defective IBCs (12.9) and requirement to successfully leak test a repaired IBC (C.6.4)

Updates to IBC design, testing and marking requirements

  • Updates to compliance markings including, requirement added to include the packing group marking (for which the design type has been tested) to the inner receptacle of composite IBCs (5.3.6 a) 2))
  • Update to Table 3 representing minimal wall thickness of metal IBCs (6.1.6 a) – Table 3)
  • Guidance added with respect to amount of emergency venting capacity required for metal IBCs (6.1.7 a) and Annex E)
  • Distinction added for modifications to an IBC, for a manufacturer to submit revised description of the modified IBC to the Director for review (8.1)
  • Definition added for protected IBCs (e.g. double wall), (Section 3)
  • Requirement clarified for leakproofness test of double wall IBC, that air pressure shall be maintained in the primary containment when secondary containment is leak tested (7.6.4)
  • The French term for mobile IBC has been translated to “GRV mobile”

Updates to requirements on the use of plastic material

  • Definition added for production plastic material (e.g. regrind), (Section 3)
  • Clarification of recycled plastics requirement for flexible, rigid plastic and inner plastic receptacles of composite IBCs – recycled plastics specific properties to be documented under quality management system (6.2.4, 6.3.4, 6.4.5)
  • Clarification to recycled plastic resin and representative testing required for recycled plastic resin (7.1.5)
  • Expansion of the quality management system requirements to capture resin specification test results of recycled plastic material properties (10.3.2 c))

Updates to Annex C and to requirements for owner/user of IBC

  • New requirement for owner/user of IBC to provide copy of Notice to User to leak test and inspection facility upon request (C.2.1.3);
  • New requirement on pre-test inspections (C.3);
  • New requirement on the test pressure gauge range and accuracy (C.4.3);
  • Secondary containment of protected IBCs may be leak tested but this is not required in the standard.