Short answer: In most cases no UN number applies and the goods ship as ordinary chemical cargo — but always confirm from Section 14 of the current SDS for the exact grade before booking.
What still applies
- Irritant classification: surfactants such as SLS are skin and eye irritants; handling rules and workplace labelling still apply even without a dangerous-goods class.
- Packaging integrity: intact bags with an inner polyethylene liner — SLS is hygroscopic and cakes if it picks up moisture during the voyage.
- Pallets: wooden pallets must meet ISPM-15 for international shipments.
- Segregation: keep away from food, feed and animal products as standard chemical practice.
How to avoid a booking problem
Send the current SDS to your forwarder at booking time, and confirm the shipping description in writing. If your grade is a solution rather than a powder, check whether any local rule treats the packaging or the concentration differently. See importing bulk surfactants for the full documentation set and export packaging for packing options.