Handling dry ice safely

Storing it

• Keep it in a thermocol box with the lid resting on top, not taped down.
• Put the box in a place with moving air, off the floor of a small closed room.
• Do not store it in a walk-in chiller, cellar, bathroom or bedroom.
• Do not put it in a glass or metal flask, a bottle or a sealed drum.
• It cannot be kept for long. Expect to lose roughly 2 to 5 kg every 24 hours.

Carrying it in a vehicle

• Carry it in the boot or load area, in its box.
• Keep a window open or the fan on fresh air, not recirculate.
• Never leave people or animals in a closed, parked vehicle with dry ice.
• If anyone gets a headache, feels dizzy or starts breathing fast, stop and get into fresh air.

Sending it by air

Airlines carry dry ice as a Class 9 dangerous good, UN 1845. The box must be able to vent and must be marked “Dry ice” or “Carbon dioxide, solid” with the net weight in kilograms. Each airline sets its own limit, so confirm it before you pack.

In kitchens, hotels and at events

India's food regulator, FSSAI, has advised food businesses that dry ice is a cooling agent and must be handled in open, ventilated spaces. It is never an ingredient.

• Do not put it in drinks, desserts, paan or mouth fresheners.
• Keep it where guests and children cannot reach it.
• Give one trained person the gloves and the job.

Getting rid of what is left

Leave it in an open or well-ventilated place and it will disappear on its own. Do not put it in a sink, toilet, drain or closed dustbin.

If something goes wrong

• Skin contact: warm the area in lukewarm water. Do not rub. See a doctor if it blisters or stays numb.
• Swallowed: this is an emergency. Go to a hospital at once.
• Breathing trouble, headache or dizziness: move to fresh air immediately and get medical help if it does not pass.

This page is general guidance. Follow your own workplace safety procedure and your carrier's rules where they apply.