A330 Captain reported that the late HAZMAT documentation resulted in insufficient time to confer with ground personnel to verify that all HAZMAT concerns were addressed. Due to the lack of information; the shipment was refused.

Narrative

Received a NOTOC (Notification to Captain) 10 minutes to scheduled departure. The combination of Dangerous Goods concerned me. The items were all loaded together in the same container and compartment. The notice arrived very late; Dispatch was not notified. I tried to gather more information about the shipper; none was available. I asked my Dispatcher to query the Load Controller. The Load Controller advised my Dispatcher that I should refuse the shipment if I had any questions. After consulting with my crew I agreed with Load Control and had the shipment removed from the aircraft. I had less than 10 minutes to make a decision. I tried to use all available resources. When Load Control suggested that we should remove the Dangerous Goods; I was able to then make a time-saving decision and minimize the delay.The pilot in command and the Dispatcher should be notified immediately of any Dangerous Goods being transported on their flight. Receiving a NOTOC 10 minutes prior to scheduled departure is extremely tardy. Flight crews are under continuous pressure to be on time; late notification of safety related information can unnecessarily add to crew stress. This stress can degrade performance and safety.