What we have written on the cold chain103 / 154

A retired ice pack is two parts: the plastic shell and the fill. The shell goes to recycling by its material mark; the safety data sheet decides the route of the fill.

Do not assume a calendar life; use model acceptance criteria, damage findings and performance records.

Link each plate ID to its model, lot and use record, then to the shipment load list.

For a pack that travels beside food, cleaning, disinfection, inspection and drying are separate steps. A damaged pack does not return to circulation, and clean and dirty returns are kept apart.

Count packs on routes, in preparation and delayed on return separately. Calculate need from route and preparation cycles, not a fixed ratio.

Use records to map route frequency, returns and preparation cycles. Compare dated rental and purchase quotes with matching scope.

Gel packs, rigid packs, eutectic plates and dry ice sit on the same shelf but work at different temperatures. The choice starts with the product's temperature range and ends with the container.

Use lid time, product readings and stop data to test plate changes on your route.

Log use, return, reconditioning and next dispatch to identify overlapping demand.

Match the phase-change point to product limits, container model and a verified packout.

Plate count follows the length of the round and the number of lid openings, not the volume of the container.

Litres of water pooled in the base mean meltwater; a film of a few millilitres means condensation. How often the lid opens and how humid the air is tell the two apart.