# Buying dry ice online? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 17, 2013, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750 "2013-07-17T14:02:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/21 "2013-07-17T16:08:44Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > or metal heated to the melting point? Sure, you can get thermometers. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/22 "2013-07-17T16:50:55Z")
Unless the OP has his heart set upon ordering dry ice on-line there is probably someone local who will make you some. I would contact the nearest place that sells industrial gasses, or services soda pop vendors, or even a place that refills CO2 tanks for recreational uses, like paint ball guns. Making the dry ice from a tank of CO2 is simple. The device we bought when I was sending feed samples for analysis was a simple box with latches on each side and a hose to connect to the gas tank. Connect hose to tank, turn on tank, and in a few minutes of hissing ‘snow’ would come out the top and you were done. Turn off gas and undo the latches on the box and the sides would fall away revealing a fresh block of dry ice. ---
**Author:** ![Disheavel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@Disheavel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disheavel)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/23 "2013-07-17T17:00:38Z")
A factual answer for you: [UPS website rules](http://www.ups.com/content/us/en/resources/ship/materials/coolants.html) regarding dry ice shipments. It is possible but their are weight restrictions for air shipments adn ground shipments are going to take too long. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/24 "2013-07-17T17:12:06Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Making the dry ice from a tank of CO2 is simple. The device we bought when I was sending feed samples for analysis was a simple box with latches on each side and a hose to connect to the gas tank. Connect hose to tank, turn on tank, and in a few minutes of hissing ‘snow’ would come out the top and you were done. Wow. I never heard of that, so I did a Google search. There’s a $400 gizmo listed on Amazon that will make up to fifteen 300 gram blocks of dry ice from a 50lb. cylinder of CO2. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/25 "2013-07-17T17:17:37Z")
This thing looks like what I used. > **[Portable Dry Ice Maker](https://www.thegreenhead.com/2007/10/portable-dry-ice-maker.php)** > > This portable device is capable of producing a 1 lb. block of dry ice in as little as 60 seconds for keeping foods and beverages cold at picnics and parties. ---
**Author:** ![Colophon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f05b48/32.png) [@Colophon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colophon)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/26 "2013-07-17T17:26:59Z")
> [@bob\_2](#): > > What about the people who use it for ‘smoke’ in stage acts? They must buy it somewhere. AFAIK most of the smoke used on stage shows isn’t dry ice at all, but some kind of oil that is sprayed in a fine mist. At least that’s what I remember being told as a kid. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/27 "2013-07-17T17:45:29Z")
The standard is a glycol solution although dry ice is certainly still used sometimes. ---
**Author:** ![sylmar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@sylmar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sylmar)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/28 "2013-07-17T20:29:36Z")
> [@Dallas\_Jones](#): > > Unless the OP has his heart set upon ordering dry ice on-line . Or a heart set on dry ice (Organ transport)… Contact your nearest hospital, they’ll have a source you can purchase it from. I’ve always used this method to track down a supplier for parties. ---
**Author:** ![Rhythmdvl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/85f322/32.png) [@Rhythmdvl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rhythmdvl)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/29 "2013-07-17T20:39:49Z")
Note to self: attend **sylmar’s** Halloween party. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/30 "2013-07-17T21:17:21Z")
The absence of on-line distributors is likely due to shipping regulations. IATA considers dry ice a category 9 dangerous good. In addition to packaging and weight restrictions, shipping dangerous goods requires a certified shipper on both the shipping and receiving end. So even if the company is certified to ship dry ice, they are violating the regulations by shipping to an uncertified individual. ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/31 "2013-07-17T23:06:09Z")
> [@Red\_Stilettos](#): > > The absence of on-line distributors is likely due to shipping regulations. IATA considers dry ice a category 9 dangerous good. In addition to packaging and weight restrictions, shipping dangerous goods requires a certified shipper on both the shipping and receiving end. So even if the company is certified to ship dry ice, they are violating the regulations by shipping to an uncertified individual. News to me about requiring a “certified shipper” at the receiving end. I teach the “Technical Transportation of Hazardous Material Course” covering land/rail/vessel/and commercial/military air. I’d appreciate a cite. In the commercial world, personnel at the recieving end would need general familiarization, function specific and safety training. Also specific subject matter training in any hazmat expected to be encountered. That training does not make a “certified shipper”. ---
**Author:** ![Red\_Stilettos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/fbc32d/32.png) [@Red\_Stilettos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Red_Stilettos)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/32 "2013-07-17T23:14:21Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > News to me about requiring a “certified shipper” at the receiving end. I teach the “Technical Transportation of Hazardous Material Course” covering land/rail/vessel/and commercial/military air. I’d appreciate a cite. > > In the commercial world, personnel at the recieving end would need general familiarization, function specific and safety training. Also specific subject matter training in any hazmat expected to be encountered. That training does not make a “certified shipper”. I was posting from my phone without access to my shipping manual, so I will trust your knowledge over mine. Most likely the “certified shipper” designation is short-hand at my institution for “authorized recipient”. Regardless, an online distributor couldn’t ship it to any yahoo willing to pay the fee without violating IATA regs. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/33 "2013-07-17T23:34:29Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Lots of places sell it, but they either offer it in retail stores (party stores, grocery stores, etc) or their own warehouse, or they deliver it (mostly to commercial clients). The OP wants to mail order it. Right- but why? Perhaps OP is unaware of how common it is. Really, it’s like asking about shipping kittens. It’s not something you have shipped. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [July 17, 2013, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/34 "2013-07-17T23:56:16Z")
I live a couple of miles from the Ben & Jerry’s factory (the biggest tourist attraction in Vermont!). A few years ago, my son had to do a science fair project which required dry ice. We called B&Js, and they gave us all we needed. Dry ice, in addition to being very cold, is also pretty cool, and the project was very popular with all of the fathers at the fair. ---
**Author:** ![RightCoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/45deac/32.png) [@RightCoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RightCoast)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/35 "2013-07-18T00:35:54Z")
You may be in luck. Now that CO2 [has been declared a pollutant](http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124001537515830975.html), it can’t be long until the greedy government starts piling on excise taxes and harassing manufacturers. That would make it expensive enough to make air shipment worthwhile. ---
**Author:** ![AaronX](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/7bcc69/32.png) [@AaronX](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AaronX)\ **Post date:** [July 18, 2013, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750/36 "2013-07-18T03:43:40Z")
> [@sylmar](#): > > Or a heart set on dry ice (Organ transport)… Contact your nearest hospital, they’ll have a source you can purchase it from. I’ve always used this method to track down a supplier for parties. Of hearts or dry ice? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/buying-dry-ice-online/663750.md?page=1)