What is Dry Ice?
Dry ice continues to be a vital cooling agent for healthcare applications, ensuring the preservation of medical samples and supplies during transport and storage.
It was discovered more than 180 years ago and possesses the special property of sublimation, meaning that it turns directly from a solid into a gas.
Dry ice, or solid carbon dioxide, can be hazardous if not handled correctly. The extreme cold can burn skin, while the gas vapor can cause explosions if not allowed to properly vent. However, used correctly and in the right circumstances, dry ice is a highly effective coolant for your shipment.
When To Use Dry Ice
Since dry ice has an exceptionally cold temperature of minus 109.3 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 78.5 degrees Celsius), it's best reserved for products that absolutely need to be kept very cold and tolerate such temperatures, such as frozen foods, sensitive medical supplies and some biologics.
Even then, it could be overkill for certain products that don't need to stay deeply frozen. Ensure dry ice does not adversely affect the quality of the shipped product.
Ester Van den Bossche, UPS Healthcare® Cold Chain Packaging in Europe, recommends understanding your options. Certain healthcare products display a particular sensitivity to deep cold temperatures, she explains, in which case dry ice shipping may not be the best choice.
"It really depends on the product, but UPS can help you determine if dry ice is the right choice for your shipment by discussing these issues with you," Ester says.
Once you've decided your product is fit to be shipped on dry ice, it's important to understand the precautions and regulations around it.
Procuring Dry Ice
You can obtain dry ice from local dry ice suppliers. It comes in different shapes and sizes, from pellets and big blocks to slices and little bullets, depending on your need.
The price of dry ice has been fluctuating since COVID-19 but remains a low-cost refrigeration material. The larger the quantity you buy, the lower the price per pound or kilogram.
Handling Dry Ice
You have to be very careful when handling dry ice since its extreme cold temperature can cause physical harm. Handlers be IATA trained and follow precautions to wear goggles to protect eyes, special gloves to safeguard hands and bibs to ensure dry ice does not spill under clothes.
Anyone in the supply chain who may come into contact with dry ice must receive the appropriate level of training.
Storing Dry Ice
Special containers must be used when storing dry ice. Airtight containers cannot be used, as the process of sublimation can create severe internal pressure and cause the container to rupture or explode. Glass containers also cannot be used, as the glass can crack.
Calculating How Much Dry Ice to Use
As a rule of thumb, expect five to ten pounds of dry ice to sublimate every 24 hours. However, the exact sublimation rate will depend on the density of the expanded polystyrene (EPS) insulating foam container you use. The lower the density, the faster the sublimation. Factor this into your shipping calculation.
Meanwhile, other greener packaging types are available, removing the need of typically used polystyrene packaging. However, keep in mind that sublimation rates will continue to vary on the density of the packaging insulating material. The packaging team proposes 100% recyclable options.
If you use UPS Healthcare® Cold Chain Packaging, you will get optimized options aligned with your product, temperature and duration needs which come from preferred and qualified Healthcare packaging suppliers, who corroborate the performance level with temperature validation studies.
"We can help shippers choose the right solution and calculate the amount of dry ice needed based on the packaging and the time in transit," explains Ester. "We also advise to add enough dry ice for an additional 24 hours of time to cover any delays, or you may choose to add UPS® Premier services for dry ice topping when parcel might be in distress or recovery options."
Packing With Dry Ice
Make sure your contents are at the optimal temperature when you are ready to pack them. Use an EPS foam container or eco-friendly dry ice packaging for its insulating properties, and place it inside a sturdy, corrugated cardboard box.
Try to keep your contents separate from the dry ice, for example in an inner box to be inserted into the dry ice.
The only purpose for the dry ice is to keep your shipment cold. You don't want anything touching the dry ice; just let it do its job, which is to keep the packaging system cold.
As with storage containers, don't seal your dry ice box airtight—the vapor gas needs to be able to escape or your package could explode when airtight. Go light with that packing tape.
Labeling for Dry Ice
For air shipment of dry ice in the United States whether for diagnostic/medical treatment purposes or non-medical, non-hazardous please refer to Coolants and Refrigerants | UPS - United States with marking and labeling requirements. You will need to comply with the regulations found at 49 CFR 173.217.
If you are shipping dry ice internationally, IATA regulations apply. You will need to have a signed International Special Commodities (ISC) contract with UPS and comply with Packing Instructions 954 of the IATA regulations and UPS's carrier requirements.
Help With Dry Ice Shipping
Shipping with dry ice can seem complex, but UPS is here to help with the information you need, plus custom solutions for dry ice shipping across your supply chain. For example, there are various UPS Healthcare™ Cold Chain Packaging options for healthcare shippers who need cold chain solutions. Customers can buy specialized packaging, as well as get advice on which solutions will work best for their product, shipping mode and time in transit.
It is crucial to arrive at the right shipping method and duration for dry ice shipping.
"For risk mitigation, the Cold Chain Packaging team will always factor in extra time for transit, especially if we are shipping healthcare products internationally, since the shipment could have a customs hold," says Ester.
Detailed preparation minimizes the need for someone to open the box and add dry ice, aiming to keep it closed until final arrival.
However, UPS® Premier service can assist if there is a case when a shipment requires dry ice replenishment while in transit.
Dry ice remains a safe and effective way of shipping goods that need to stay frozen, if used properly and compliantly. Whatever your dry ice shipping need, UPS Healthcare can help.
Get your shipment on its way today. Ask an Expert.
If additional information on shipping with dry ice is needed, please call the UPS Hazardous Material Support Center at 1-800-554-9964.
