EMB ERJ 170/175 ER/LR
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Multiengine; Flight Crew Instrument
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Aircraft Equipment Problem Dissipated; Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Maintenance Action
Human Factors
After departing ZZZ while enroute to ZZZ1 Airport; we received an ACARS message from Dispatch stating that the ground crew in ZZZ forgot their electrostatic fogger case on board. I proceeded to call our Flight Attendants to see if they saw that case on board. The A flight attendant stated that she did see this case on board in 1A prior to boarding. She also stated that she thought it was one of the crew bags and it was put in one of the overhead bins. I told her that this was an electrostatic fogger case from ZZZ Operation. I proceeded to let Dispatch know that we found the case. Dispatch told us that ZZZ Operation needed this as soon as possible and if we could bring it to the next flight after landing in ZZZ1. I proceeded to let ZZZ Operations know about the incident and if they could coordinate this with the next outbound flight. After terminating my flight I received a call from the Pilot on Duty stating that I needed to fill out a report. That we possibly carried Hazmat. We had no clue there was Hazmat materials in this case. I'm not sure how they wanted us to know. Furthermore; I don't know how this machine works or what chemicals are used in it. This has never been discussed with flight crews. All that was told to us by Dispatch was that an Electrostatic fogger case was left on board. If we knew we had Hazmat on board we could have easily return or diverted to a nearby airport.
E-170 Captain reported undocumented Hazmat transport by ACARS Dispatch notification stating departure Ground Personnel inadvertently left Hazmat case on board.