UN 3091 corresponds to which description?

• A. Lithium metal cells or batteries contained in or packed with equipment
• B. Lithium ion batteries contained in or packed with equipment
• C. Lithium ion cells or batteries
• D. Lithium metal batteries not packed with equipment

Answer: (A)

UN numbers identify hazardous shipments and the rules that apply to them. For lithium metal batteries, there are two relevant designations: one for batteries not inside equipment, and one for batteries that are contained in equipment or shipped with equipment. The description in question matches that second case exactly: lithium metal cells or batteries that are contained in or packed with equipment. This covers batteries that are part of a device and those that accompany the equipment during transport, which is why it’s the best match. This is distinct from lithium ion batteries, which have their own UN numbers, and from lithium metal batteries not packed with equipment, which belong to a different designation.