US retailers such as Walmart, Publix and Safeway are doing little to meet public commitments to phase out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), according to an Environmental Investigation Agency report.
HFCs are some of the most potent greenhouse gases, used most commonly in refrigeration and air conditioning systems.
Beyond the Dirty Dozen, a follow up to EIA’s 2013 report The Dirty Dozen, says that despite readily available alternatives, few supermarket chains are replacing leaking refrigeration systems or using HFC- free-systems in new stores. In 2014, US companies opened only eight new supermarkets featuring HFC-free refrigeration, far fewer than retail chains in Canada, Europe, and Japan.
Of the 12 companies EIA surveyed for this report, including Whole Foods Market, only one — Delhaize — is considering a commitment to completely phase out HFCs.
Across the US, more than 37,000 supermarkets contain refrigerators leaking an average of 1,556 metric tons of CO2-equivalent of HFCs each year, EIA says.
Photo Credit: EIA
