The Code of Federal Regulations distinguishes transportation of hazardous
materials by air, highway and rail, and water in large and small
quantities. Undoubtedly, the international regulations do too, but I've
only seen the ones that apply to air. I imagine the regulations for water
are not nearly as strict as those for air and it might be possible for an
individual to send urushi that way. Neither UPS or Fed Ex offer sea
transportation but I believe DHL does. I'm not sure if the US Postal
Service does or not, and I've no idea what the Japanese postal service
offers. Nearly all international mail goes by air these days, wether its
explicitly stated or not.
I've always assumed that American Shakuhachi makers used Japanese urushi
but I've never asked. The point is that it is probably not prohibited to
ship urushi, but that it must be done within the -as we say- "applicable
regulations." Think about it: you're not even allowed to take a bottle of
after shave on a passenger flight; that's because it is, or might be, a
flammable liquid. But after shave can be, and is, sent by air when it's
properly prepared. Presumably, somebody is shipping urushi out of Japan.
It's just a matter of finding out who.
-Brian
At 04:38 PM 12/12/02 -0800, you wrote:
..
>
>What about transporting urushi (and cashew) via surface carrier?
>Can this stuff be sent via surface mail (post)? Or is that equally
>proscribed by law?
>
>in need of a bit of cashew himself...
>
>bj
>
>-
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