How to Dispose of Dry Ice

Dry ice is typically used to freeze food or retain its coolness longer than regular ice. This is possible because of its extreme surface temperature of -109.3 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dry ice is easily accessible these days at grocery stores or home centers. It is also a great back up if you have a power outage.

With these positives comes danger. If you touch it, there is the possibility of frostbite almost immediately.

It can even cause an explosion from the gas built up inside airtight containers. Therefore, it is critical that dry ice is disposed of safely and properly.

Here are some things you should never do with dry ice.

Never:

1. Touch dry ice with bare skin as this can cause mild to severe frostbite within seconds
2. Store more than 10 lbs of dry ice in your fridge per day. If you store more than this, you run the risk of carbon dioxide build-up within the fridge and this could explode
3. Store dry ice in your freezer compartment. This could damage the freezer as the overall temperature may go below its programmed temperature
4. Lay dry ice down on a tiled surface or solid surface countertop. If you do this, the surface could easily crack.
5. Allow dry ice to come into contact with unsealed food. Foods, such as fish, should be placed in a sealed freezer bag or vacuum-sealed container before being placed near dry ice.
6. Dispose of dry ice near sewer lines or down the garbage disposal. Never throw it down the toilet or sink as this could cause the pipes to freeze and burst
7. Dump it in garbage chutes or trash cans. Dry ice should not be discarded in any confined or badly ventilated space. If the space is compact and not ventilated sufficiently, the carbon dioxide could fill the room and cause suffocation.
8. Discard dry ice in public areas that are accessible to people or pets. People and animals could get seriously injured and it can even cause death.
9. Transport dry ice in a badly ventilated vehicle. Always open a few windows if you are transporting dry ice
10. Transport dry ice for more than 15 minutes at a time as you may become overexposed to carbon dioxide

Steps to Follow for the Disposal of Dry Ice

Choosing the right space and time to dispose of dry ice

As we have mentioned, dry ice, or solidified carbon dioxide, is a dangerous compound.

Taking careful steps to sublimate your dry ice could avoid explosions, frostbite, and exposure to harmful levels of carbon dioxide.

When choosing a space to dispose of dry ice, always find a well-ventilated area that is out of bounds to children or animals.

Areas such as backyards are best or even a fire escape if you’re in a high rise building. 

If you want to dispose of it quickly, choose a cool day with cloudless skies. There isn’t a necessity to wait, however. You can still dispose of dry ice on a humid day.

Wearing the correct clothes

You must protect yourself as well as others during this task. Equip yourself with the following items.

• Long-sleeve shirt or sweater
• Safety glasses to prevent burns or blindness
• Closed-toe shoes
• Insulated gloves for protection of the skin

As long as your skin doesn’t come in contact with the dry ice, you should be safe but always take extra precautions.

Speeding up the disposal time

The first thing you need to do after choosing the right place and safety gear is to retrieve the dry ice from where it is stored.

Many people store their dry ice in newspapers to keep it apart from food. If this is the case, remove the newspaper and place the dry ice inside a lidded plastic container or Styrofoam box.

It is important the lid isn’t completely closed as this can cause gas build-up. Therefore, carbon dioxide can escape safely into the atmosphere.

If you want your dry ice to disappear even quicker, you could try breaking it into smaller pieces. This will cause it to turn into agas and evaporate faster.

You must wear gloves and safety glasses if you intend on breaking up the ice. If any dry ice comes in contact with your eyes, it could severely burn them and even blind you.

Sublimate

The next thing to do is to set your container full of dry ice down on a flat surface. This will allow the dry ice to completely evaporate so no solids are left.

Depending on how much dry ice you have, it may take up to 24 hours to fully sublimate.

You should stay away from this area whilst sublimation is occurring so you are not overexposed to carbon dioxide. 

Symptoms of this include nausea, headaches, and vomiting. If you have no choice but to be in the area, wear a respirator mask.

Container’s safe disposal

You must dispose of the container safely and correctly.

After the dry ice has completely evaporated, dispose of the container, as well as the gloves and newspapers that may have contacted it, at a waste collection site. 

You could also use a local landfill if they accept hazardous waste products.

If you do suffer any dry ice injuries, you should seek urgent medical treatment. Minor dry ice burns can be treated with an antibiotic ointment or with a bandage.

Such burns could turn into blisters so try not to agitate the area. If you begin to feel dizzy, disorientated, or light-headed, you should call 911 immediately as you have probably been overexposed to carbon dioxide.

Conclusion

Dry ice comes in many forms such as flakes, pellets, or blocks.

Commonly used for transporting temperature-sensitive items, for science projects, or making fog effects, it can be hard to forget its potential risks. 

As we have discussed, dry ice can not be dumped or discarded at any time, in any place.

Remembering these steps next time you dispose of dry ice could save you from overexposure to carbon dioxide, poisoning, frostbite, and explosions.

Always take care and follow our steps for safe and proper disposal.