Loren Eaton
Short Answer
Costco does not have a companywide policy on selling dry ice; your local warehouse location may or may not carry it. None of the 21 stores we contacted sold dry ice, but some stores do.
Does Costco Sell Dry Ice?
Some Costco stores sell dry ice, but availability varies by location. “It would vary by warehouse, so you would want to call your closest [Costco],” a customer service representative told us.
For a better idea of how many Costco stores may carry dry ice, we called nine locations in Florida, eight locations in Georgia, and four locations in the Carolinas. None of the stores we called had dry ice in stock.
An associate in Matthews, S.C. noted that while some Costco stores do carry dry ice, this location has not stocked dry ice recently, confirming that the availability of dry ice can vary even at Costco stores that do sometimes stock it.
You can contact your local Costco before visiting to see whether it currently has dry ice.
If your nearby Costco doesn’t have it, we have the list of other places that sell dry ice.
The Hazards of Dry Ice
The U.S. Department of Transportation classifies dry ice as a hazardous material. Here’s why:
While it’s often considered a plus that dry ice shifts straight from a solid to a gas, sublimation (the technical term that describes the process) can cause problems.
The volume of carbon dioxide released can break containers and potentially cause injury. It can also displace oxygen and cause breathing problems.
Additionally, because dry ice is so cold, it can potentially harm the skin. If your hands come in contact with dry ice for an extended period of time, you can get frostbite.
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