Temperature controlled packaging is used when the contents of a delivery, usually food or medications, must be maintained at a certain temperature in order to prevent spoilage. This type of packaging usually guarantees that the shipped item or items will remain fresh and refrigerated for up to 96 hours from the time of shipment until delivery. Meats, medicines, vaccinations, and other refrigerated materials can safely be shipped from store to consumer or from drug supplier to pharmacist or doctor without any risk of contamination or spoilage.
Temperature controlled packaging can generally hold two, five, or ten liters in varying sized boxes. Contents can be kept at 36° to 48° Fahrenheit (about 2° to 9° Celsius) for up to 96 hours in the standard package. If colder temperatures are necessary, a “plus” version of temperature controlled packaging is available which can keep items at –4° to 22° Fahrenheit (about -20° to 5½° Celsius).
Typically, refrigerated contents must be shipped with dry ice. In temperature controlled packaging, there is no need for the potentially hazardous dry ice. Instead, this type of packaging utilizes many layers of high quality insulation and regular ice and water to keep the interior contents at cold temperatures for up to four days.
There are a number of reasons why temperature controlled packaging is a better choice than traditional dry ice packaging. First, dry ice is considered hazardous. Therefore, any packaging using this chemical substance must be transported through a shipping system capable of transporting hazardous materials. Dry ice can be harmful to the environment, animals, and humans, so extreme caution must be taken when dry ice is utilized in shipping containers.
Temperature controlled packaging is also more lightweight than dry ice, cheaper to ship than traditional methods, and better for the recipient of the package. This is particularly true if the recipient is not trained to handle dry ice.
The packaging containers and boxes are environmentally friendly and can be recycled with ease. The boxes are generally made of waterproof cardboard. Then, a layer of plastic insulation and more waterproofing material are layered into the box. The contents are placed inside the center core in watertight containers and packed into a mixture of ice and water. The outer layers of insulation keep the ice from melting.
Temperature controlled packaging makes sense in today’s busy and costly world. Safer packaging helps keep environmental damage to a minimum. The water can easily be poured out once the item has been received. The items arrive fresh and unspoiled. Finally, the packaging can easily be recycled or reused time and time again.