A320
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Flight Crew Last 90 Days 158; Flight Crew Total 9097; Flight Crew Type 5175
Communication Breakdown
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Hazardous Material Violation; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Became Reoriented; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed
Human Factors
We were taxiing out at ZZZ when we received an ACARS [message] that said LP [Load Planning] could not provide final [weights] due to the misloading of hazardous goods. We had no idea we had been boarded with any hazardous goods because we had not received any ACARS [messages] stating any hazardous goods were onboard. We called Dispatch for help and about that time we were told that we had dry ice onboard and that it was not loaded properly and would need to return to the gate. We started back to the gate. We then received our final [weights]. We called OPS and they said that we now could take off because the dry ice was surrounded by 18 bags vs the minimum of 15. We then flew an uneventful leg to ZZZ1.1. If the dry ice did not meet the minimum weight to be considered hazardous; then why would we have to taxi back to get it reloaded?2. If the dry ice did meet the minimum weight; why didn't we receive any [messages] stating we had hazardous goods onboard?
A320 First Officer reported a communication breakdown between flight crew and Dispatch regarding Dry Ice excepted quantities and loading configurations.