The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is proposing a $227,500 civil penalty against AmplaChem for allegedly violating hazardous materials regulations.

The FAA alleges on 10 April 2013, AmplaChem knowingly offered an undeclared hazardous material shipment to FedEx from Carmel (US) to Vietnam.

The shipment included Boron Tribromide, a corrosive material and toxic inhalation hazard that is forbidden from being transported on any commercial aircraft, and two other corrosive substances.

The FAA claims the shipment was smoldering and burning as it was being unloaded in Vietnam, and FedEx notified the FAA. The FAA alleges it was not accompanied by papers to indicate the hazardous nature of its contents and not properly marked, labelled or packaged.

The FAA claims AmplaChem did not provide emergency response information with the shipment and failed to ensure employees had received required hazardous materials training.

AmplaChem plans to meet the FAA sometime in the middle June.