AN MD SUPER 80 MAY HAVE BEEN DISPATCHED IN NON COMPLIANCE WITH BUTANE CIGARETTE LIGHTERS LOADED IN THE AFT CARGO PIT WITH CONSUMER COMMODITIES. AUTH USED TO CARRY LIGHTERS WAS LETTER OF EXCEPTION FROM UNITED STATES DOT DATED AUG/XA/84.

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10 MINS PRIOR TO DEP; GND PERSONNEL HANDED ME 2 BUTANE CIGARETTE LIGHTERS. ON LISTING CONSUMER COMMODITIES; THE OTHER LIGHTERS -- BOTH ITEMS LOADED IN THE AFT BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT. AS PART I LISTS BUTANE AS HAZMAT PROHIBITED IN EITHER THE CABIN OR CARGO HOLDS; I CONTACTED THE LCL ZZZ CARGO MGR TO DETERMINE IF IT WAS LEGAL TO CARRY THE LIGHTERS. I WAS TOLD THAT THESE LIGHTERS WERE BEING SHIPPED UNDER AN EXCEPTION LETTER; AND WAS READ ENOUGH EXCERPTS FROM THE LETTER TO CONVINCE ME THAT IT WAS LEGAL. ENRTE TO YYZ; I WENT THROUGH THE BILL OF LADING PACKET; AND FOUND THE PAPERWORK FOR THE LIGHTERS -- INCLUDING A COPY OF THE EXCEPTION LETTER. THE LETTER FROM THE UNITED STATES DOT WAS DATED AUG/XX/84. IN LIGHT OF SUBSEQUENT CHANGES TO HAZMAT INSTRUCTIONS; AND RECENT INTEREST IN OUR OWN HAZMAT SHIPPING PROCS; I AM WONDERING IF THE EXCEPTION LETTER IS STILL IN EFFECT; AND IF NOT; HOW MANY OTHERS ARE OUT THERE. ON ANOTHER NOTE; PART I ALSO STATES THAT CONSUMER COMMODITIES CANNOT BE LOADED WITH ANY OTHER DANGEROUS GOODS. OUR CARGO PEOPLE LOADED BOTH ITEMS IN THE SAME COMPARTMENT. I WAS SO FOCUSED ON THE LIGHTER PROB THAT I DIDN'T REALIZE UNTIL WE WERE ENRTE THAT THEY WERE LOADED TOGETHER. MAYBE CARGO NEEDS A LITTLE TRAINING TOO.