Commodity Classification for Fruit in Plastic Bins?

2/27/2025

What is the NFPA Commodity Classification for fruit in plastic bins (for example, cherries, floor-stacked 20 ft. high)?

The bins are open on top with holes for drainage and are full of cherries.

Do the bins make this Class I a Class IV or Group A plastic instead?

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9 Comments

Pete H

2/27/2025 06:33:46 am

For me it depends on whether the fruits are dried or not. These do not look like dried fruits, and the plastic is not an empty container.

That said, if they store extra plastic empty containers inside the facility, I'd say that immediately gets this up to either a Class IV or Group A, depending on the type of plastic container. If it is PET, Class IV. If not, group A expanded.

If the fruits are dried, I'd say they still go into "dry foods", this becomes a Class III, and with the plastic tray, though not a pallet, I'd still err on the side of caution and say group A. And expanded Group A based on the size of the plastic.

If the fruits are not dry, and the container is larger than five gallons (looks like), Class I commodity kicked up two levels for the plastic container, Class III.

Best case that I could argue for is Class III. Worst case is Group A Expanded.

Jesse

2/27/2025 08:17:26 am

Packaging must alwats be considered and is more frequently driving the overall commodity class.

The type of plastic matters, and I must disagree with Pete here. That doesn't look like expanded Group A. Expanded has micro-air pockets within the material - think foam materials.

There are bound to be idle crates throughout. I surveyed a bunch of facilties using these in Central CA and the Texas RGV as well as the PNW. We treated them as Group A Plastic.

Pete H

2/27/2025 11:33:57 am

I was claiming expanded due to:

Table A.5.6.4.1 Examples of Group A Plastic Commodities:

Empty Containers -
Rigid Plastic (not including PET), up to 32 oz (1 L) - Nonexpanded
Rigid Plastic (not including PET), greater than 32 oz - Expanded.

---

It looks larger than 32 ounces.

But I do agree that it's also probably not an expanded group a plastic because it is very likely made with PET. I just can't state that with certainty.

Glenn Berger

2/27/2025 08:30:32 am

Group A Plastic - The storage container has been typically the driver for the commodity type on my projects.

Jose Figueroa

2/27/2025 08:31:33 am

It depends! I recommend checking out this reading: https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2022/01/18/commodity-classifications-in-nfpa-13.

I have visited several cold warehouses in Texas and have consistently classified them as non-expanded Class A plastics. These trays can be stored at heights of over 10 meters on racks. Water from the sprinkler system can pass through, but the only thing that the fire can detect is plastic.

Mike Dacey link

2/27/2025 08:52:12 am

This is a tough on. The container looks closer to a solid unit than gridded. Also failry substaintail. A case could be made for unexpanded, exposed Group A plastics. The sprinkler design would also cover the empties.

2/27/2025 08:55:52 am

1) The protection criterias have changed in the newer editions of NFPA 13, but I don't think the commodity classifications themselves have changed much. NFPA 13, 2025 has improved definitions and organization for storage that I'd recommending reading. I'd start with these definitions:
§3.3.40 Commodity.
§3.3.73 Expanded (Foamed or Cellular) Plastics.
§3.3.74 Exposed Group A Plastic Commodities.

2) Next I'd read NFPA 13, 2025 for commodity classification definitions (the actual definitions, not just the examples). The answer to your question is going to be based on the classification you come up with so §20.4.5 (which type of material the container is), the classification of the fruit (see the examples of commodities in the Annex), and Figure 20.4.3.3(b) Exposed Commodities Containing a Mixture of Expanded and Nonexpanded Group A Plastics need to be explored.

3) Group C plastics are protected as Class III and Group B plastics are protected as Class IV (see Figure 20.4.8) so knowing the type of plastic is pretty important here (especially at that height). A quick google search shows that most fruit containers are PET (Polyethylene Terephthalate) or PP (Polypropylene), but it's worth asking the client.

4) If the container is an exposed non-expanded group A plastic and the commodity inside is a class III commodity then Figure 20.4.3.3(b) is going to tell you how to protect it based on the weight and volume.

5) Exposed non-expanded group A plastic looks like it's probably your answer, but understanding how to ask the right questions, read the right sections, and communicate why you're choosing this design criteria is key.

6) After the commodity is determined you can look at method of storage to see what options NFPA 13 provides.

Good luck out there.

Jack G

2/27/2025 02:08:30 pm

For me,changing wood crates for plastic ones , for storing fresh fruit , if the storage arrangement was solid pile ,to 20 ft—- maybe building height 30 ft , I d find that the density for a stable pile was. 1.1 gpm. / ft2.
If the pile was considered unstable then the density would drop to. .6 gpm. / ft2.
Such a difference has a rather significant difference on cost / / /. whether a fire pump/ city supply or a fire pump / tank supply.
There are 2 basic groups of modifiers : those that change the commode classification and : those that impact the design basis.
From a fire dynamics perspective, the cc( comedy classification) is the amount of heat that is released from the material itself along with the form it takes ( surface area to mass ratio)
The variables impacting the design basis ( density, remote area)
assigned to a specific commodity.
Basically we have 8 commodity classifications made up of commodity’s 1-4, and a family of group A plastics set into 4 groups.
Chemical additives may also be a modifying factor with fresh fruit.
I would treat this as a commodity classification / and apply how it is packaged, shrink wrap— vs encapsulated, and treat the pallets/ packaging as a class A plastic-expanded.
The densities , depending on how it’s stored to 20 ft could range the density could range from a .153, to a .34, to a .6.
Just follow the charts and pick your poisons. Consult the engineer of record and your FPE. A lot of these specs are driven by manufacturers that want to sell an expensive sprinkler head. Opinion.

Richard Stehr

2/27/2025 02:35:29 pm

Refer to 2021 International Fire Code Chapter 32 -Figure 3203.9(2).

Commodity Classification for Fruit in Plastic Bins?

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