Dry ice is a hot commodity. It is a primary way COVID-19 vaccines will be preserved during transport from the manufacturer to administration sites and for storage in some locations.
But too much of a good thing can be hazardous in a confined space.
On Wednesday, the Federal Aviation Administration cautioned commercial aircraft operators to pay close attention to the risk of carrying too much dry ice in the cargo hold.
“Operators may plan to carry dry ice quantities larger than quantities they may carry during typical operations. This volume of dry ice may present risks that existing mitigations do not adequately address,” the agency said in a safety alert.
The reason for the FAA’s concern is that dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide. Increasing the volume of dry ice may present risks that existing mitigations do not adequately address.
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Mel Globerman
The headline incorrectly identifies CO2 (carbon Dioxide) as a poison! The fact is CO2 is an inert gas and is not poisonous! The concern is that in a confined space, it displaces oxygen, and therefore people breathing it can become hypoxic (lacking oxygen). It is being confused with CO (Carbon Monoxide) which is a toxin, and can be deadly. CO2 is what we have in all bubbly soft drinks, and is what is in your exhaled breath. Conversely, CO is what’s in the exhaust of a gas powered vehicle, and can chemically attach to blood and thus prevent absorption of oxygen, and therefore, potentially deadly!