Discontinuing Charcoal Sales

Howdy again everyone. I wanted to let everyone know that I am discontinuing the sale of charcoal on my website. That includes tablets and powder. Why? Because I just learned that the updated USPS regulations specifically call out charcoal as hazardous and it is illegal to ship by air. The problem is that most mail, including First Class, might travel by air. To ship by ground only costs a minimum of $8 and who would want to pay $8 to ship a $6 item? Not to mention that the time in transit is 8 - 10 days.

I know that lots of companies pay no attention to these regulations. Heck, people send in charcoal to Amazon for “fulfilled by Amazon” (FBA) sales. Amazon clearly states that this is a hazardous material and cannot be sold through Amazon FBA, yet dozens of people (or more) still sell it as if there are no restrictions. I’m confident that Amazon would close those listings, if reported, but I’m not here to chase after other people or to hurt my competitors, so I have no plans to report anything. Lots of major companies continue to ship charcoal without thought, but ultimately, that’s on them.

I might even be tempted to join the “scofflaws” who continue to ship incense charcoal by air, however, there is a logical reason why charcoal shouldn’t be shipped by air. I always thought that incense charcoal was in a “gray area” when it comes to shipping, but that has been clarified and there is no longer any way to deny it. That’s what really makes me want to restrict charcoal sales. Strange shipping restrictions aren’t new or strange, but in this case I think the concern is legitimate. Charcoal, even small tablets, can pose a serious fire hazard. Imagine just one tiny pack of charcoal spontaneously combusted in the hold of a cargo plane. That type of fire could easily spread and potentially destroy the aircraft and everyone on board. Do I think this likely? Absolutely not. Is it possible? It certainly is.

I try to obey all of the confusing rules and regulations about on-line sales and shipping. This particular one is going to cost me a significant amount of money but, honestly, I don’t want to ever take the chance that one of my products could harm, or even kill, someone. I will remove all charcoal from the website in the next few days.

So when it comes to buying charcoal, your best bet is to buy locally. I’m happy to sell charcoal to folks in my area, as long as I don’t have to ship it anywhere.