How Do You Safely Dispose of Dry Ice?

Believe it or not, it’s actually easier to safely dispose of your dry ice than regular ice!

Dry ice is an excellent addition to any camping trip, Halloween décor, and more. But what should you do after you’re finished using it? Believe it or not, it’s actually easier to safely dispose of your dry ice than regular ice! Here are a few things to do when disposing of your dry ice to ensure you stay safe and do not cause any damage to your home.

How Can You Safely Dispose of Dry Ice?

• Leave it Outside: It can be as simple as leaving it outside and doing nothing at all! Dry ice will eventually sublimate and leave no trace, so keeping it outside in a well-ventilated area is the easiest way to safely dispose of your dry ice. We always recommend not leaving it unsupervised, as someone could touch it and hurt themselves before it’s completely gone.
• Break It Up: If you’re in a little bit of a hurry and can’t wait for your large block of dry ice to disappear, you can always break it up into smaller pieces. So long as you’re taking proper safety precautions, like wearing gloves and safety glasses, you can break it up with a hammer. Just make sure anyone near the dry ice won’t burn themselves.
• Use Warm or Hot Water: This is a great way to quickly and safely dispose of dry ice. You can either pour a bucket of warm water on it outside or put the dry ice into a pot of boiling water if you’re at home. Keep in mind that, since dry ice is much colder than regular ice, it can chill and freeze the water you put around it, so if you’re pouring water on it, have multiple buckets if you have a lot of dry ice.
• Use a Dry-Ice Safe Cooler: If you want to leave it outside but can’t stick around to watch it sublimate completely, you can also safely dispose of dry ice in a dry-ice-safe cooler. This will allow it to sublimate, albeit at a lower temperature and therefore slower, but it will eventually dissipate and still leave no trace.

Dry Ice for All Your Needs

Dry Ice Corp is the largest regional supplier of dry ice and related products in the Northeastern United States. Our ice is fresh and delivered right to your doorstep. We are happy to help you determine the best way to ship your goods, whether you have a huge number of cookies or a single pie, and help you select the perfect amount of dry ice for the job. Give us a call at (201) 767-3200, or contact us online for a quote. To connect with us online, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.