Dry ice is the most sought after medium through which perishable goods and eatable items are exported and imported
. It reduces the risk of these items to get rotten. Dry ice is generally the carbon dioxide which is in dry form and converted into ice at very low temperatures of about -78.5 degrees. The most beneficial part of this shipping medium is that it does not melt rather converts into fumes and gets evaporated into atmosphere. Hence it provides a clean transportation without any mess. This method has gained popularity due to ease in transport and hassle free maintenance of perishable things. Department of Transportation of United States looks into the complete procedure and also regulates guidelines that one needs to follow while handling with dry ice.
Since the substances that are prone to get decompose when come in contact with moisture or heat are required to be taken good care while exporting. Dry ice shipping has emerged as a useful tool that helps to maintain the freshness of the substance for longer time without any fear of it being in contact with the dampness. It is a very affordable and cheap method as compared to the other alternatives. Weight of substance is restricted to only 5 pounds when exported through air as declared by the department of Transportation. But it can increase when the process is done at ground level.
Along with huge benefits of shipping dry ice there are also several disadvantages associated with it. There are chances of suffocation and deficiency of oxygen when a person remains in the same place where dry ice is placed due to the sufficient use of carbon dioxide. Anyone can suffer from skin problems when come in contact with it. This may cause dangerous results and injuries. Therefore strong measures are needed to be taken that comply with the rules made by department of transportation. Content must be tagged with a label that contains warning about the dry ice and keeps people away from its contact.
While shipping the products through dry ice one must also take care that containers that will used should be strong enough. It is essential to test the integrity of the container as every substance cannot bear the load of such heavy pieces of dry ice. After loading, the container should be properly closed to avoid any spilling of substance. There must be a passage for carbon dioxide evaporation so that one can avoid package surge. Plastic material should be avoided for packaging of such goods.
A person dealing with dry ice shipping might become a victim of burns and damage of skin due to extreme cold. Inhaling in the excessive carbon dioxide can cause suffocation due to lack of oxygen. Always use hand gloves while touching the dry ice or before coming in contact with it. These precautions must be taken in order to safeguard you from hazards of carbon dioxide. Though dry ice has served the transportation business in many aspects but it has its limitations also which one must know properly.