Corrosiveness

Corrosiveness is the ability of a material to cause electrochemical degradation of metals or alloys due to their reaction with their environment or the destruction of body tissues by acids and bases.

Substances that are corrosive are solids or liquids, which, in their original state, possess the common property of being able to damage living tissue more or less severely.

The escape of a corrosive substance, from its packaging,may cause damage to other cargo or to the ship. All substances that are corrosive have a more or less destructive effect on materials such as metals and textiles. Damage could comprise severe burns to skin, eyes and mucous membranes.

Many corrosive substances are also sufficiently volatile to emit vapours irritating to the nose and eyes.

Corrosive substances are classified as class 8 in the IMDG code.

Column D1 and D2 of the GESAMP hazard profile indicate whether a substance causes skin irritation & corrosion and eye irritation & corrosion respectively.