OHS Biosafety - BIO200 – Shipping with Dry Ice Applicability Using “wet ice,” or ice made from water, is not allowed by most shippers due to the likelihood of leaks.

If you need to send shipments that are refrigerated, you may choose to use gel packs or dry ice. Dry ice is a refrigerant made from carbon dioxide gas and can be dangerous to work with if not handled properly; thus the regulations.

Gel packs are not regulated, but they are not capable of keeping materials as cold for as long as dry ice would.

Introduction and Overview Shipping with dry ice is regulated due to the very nature of the substance itself. These requirements will be in addition to the requirements that apply to the substance you are shipping. Regulations There are international and federal agencies that regulate the air, postal, and ground transport of shipments of packages containing dry ice. Training If you choose to ship a package using dry ice, international and federal requirements dictate that you MUST be trained to do so every two years or if regulations change.

Consequences of Non-Compliance Failure to properly pack and ship materials is a violation of the law and is punishable with fines and/or imprisonment. PI 904 49 CFR 173.127 Classification Dry ice is a Class 9 Miscellaneous Dangerous Good. IATA designates that it is in Packing Group III, meaning that it has relatively low danger. Identification The UN number for dry ice is 1845 Dry ice has two Proper Shipping Names UN 1845 Dry Ice OR UN 1845 Carbon Dioxide, Solid

Inside Packaging First you must properly classify and identify the substance or material you are shipping. Please refer to the interactive Classification Flowchart on the OH&S website if you are unsure of the proper classification. Once your container is packed according to the packing directions for the substance or material being shipped, you can begin the process of packing it to keep it refrigerated.

Outside Packaging – Using an Overpack Let’s start with the outer box. An overpack is a fiberboard box or container designed to hold packages and some type of refrigerant (either dry ice or gel packs) during shipment. This means that a typical fiberboard box or container acts as an overpack for an insulated cooler, such as a Styrofoam box. The Styrofoam box fits inside the fiberboard box to hold the dry ice or gel packs. In this example, you can see how the dry ice can affect cardboard without proper insulation. The dry ice must go in an insulated cooler – preferably Styrofoam.

Packing with Dry Ice This illustration will demonstrate how to properly pack a Category B, Infectious Substances package using dry ice. 1. The primary container is the yellow capped tube. 2. The secondary container must be an air-tight, leak proof container. 3. This secondary container must also have enough absorbent material to absorb the entire contents should the primary container fail. 4. A list of contents goes between the second and third container. 5. The third container must be crush-proof to protect the items. 6. Labels and marks are placed on the third container as detailed in BIO201 Shipping Infectious Substances Category B. 7. The Styrofoam box fits securely inside the overpack and is then filled with dry ice pellets. The Styrofoam lid should fit securely, but not too tight. 8. Remember when using dry ice as a refrigerant, the maximum weight of the dry ice must be five pounds or less (or 2.3 kilograms or less).

Marking and Labeling This illustration will demonstrate how to properly pack, mark, and label an exempt patient specimen using dry ice.

Any information required on the outer package of the samples must be displayed on the overpack. In addition to the substance specific marks and labels, packages containing dry ice in an overpack shall have: A class 9 miscellaneous hazard black & white diamond-on-point label Proper Shipping Name (which is either UN 1845 Dry Ice OR UN 1845 Carbon Dioxide, Solid) The weight of the dry ice (kg) must be marked on the overpack. The maximum weight for the dry ice is five pounds or 2.3 kilograms. The word OVERPACK must be marked on the box. Make sure that you remove or completely cover any irrelevant marks or labels.

A Shipper’s Declaration – Yes or No? Some substances require a shipper’s declaration. If you are shipping one of those substances AND using dry ice, then you MUST add dry ice to the shipper’s declaration. For example, Category A, Infectious Substances and Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs) require a shipper’s declaration. If you’re shipping these substances or organisms and are using dry ice as the packing refrigerant, then the dry ice MUST be listed on the shipper’s declaration with the other items. A UN 3373 Biological Substance, Category B or Exempt Patient Specimen does NOT require a shipper’s declaration even if you are using dry ice to ship the substance or specimen. Use the PDF file, “the IATA Acceptance Checklist for Dry Ice,” found on the home page of this course under Resources or on the OH&S website to confirm that all requirements have been meet.

Why Not Use a Sealed Container? Sealed containers and dry ice don’t mix. Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide gas and expands exponentially as it sublimates. Many people have played with Dry Ice Fireworks. This consists of putting dry ice in a plastic container with or without water and sealing it.

This man almost lost an eye. Others have had far more serious injuries from these dry ice experiments. Some cities have even outlawed this type of experiment. There is a video of a dry ice experiment in the Resources section of this course and on the OH&S website. The experiment was done by a professional. UAB Police were present, and all safety precautions were followed. Watch it and you’ll see why you should NOT use sealed containers for dry ice.

Things You Need to Remember… There are several things you should remember when shipping items that need to be refrigerated: •

Using “wet ice,” or ice made from water, is not allowed by most shippers due to the likelihood of leaks.

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Use either dry ice or gel packs.

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When using dry ice, read and pack according to PI 904.

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Use a Styrofoam box when packing with dry ice.

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Never use a sealed container when packing with dry ice due to the possibility of an explosion.

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Use an overpack that is properly labeled.

And in Closing… This concludes the OH&S Shipping with Dry Ice course. Recertification is required every two years or if regulations change. Please return to the home page of this course to take the quiz. 85% or higher is required to pass.

Additional note: A glossary was included in the Flash presentation and is also located on the home page under Resources. It is also on the OH&S website. Some of these terms will be included in the quiz.