2Sustain

A new report, released today by London-based campaign group the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), reveals that only two percent of all major supermarket retail stores throughout the UK are using HFC-free refrigeration systems, despite awareness of the enormous environmental damage caused by HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons).

HFCs, originally introduced to reduce ozone-depleting CFCs, are now known to have a global warming impact 3,800 times greater than CO2.

Natural refrigerant alternatives are available, and some companies (see earlier post about Coca-Cola here) are already transitioning to eco-friendly cooling technologies. The EIA, however, would like to see UK supermarkets moving faster towards HFC-free refrigeration.

After all, leaked refrigerant gases (which escape in normal use and maintenance) now account for about one-third of a supermarket’s direct climate change emissions. That means leaked emissions of HFCs have a global warming equivalent to 1.13 million tonnes of CO2. Roughly translated, that’s the equivalent to one billion car journeys to the average local supermarket.

“Though some supermarkets have made a good effort over the last year to tackle the issue of HFCs, the survey results are disappointing, showing that we have a long way to go. We need serious action and a firm long-term commitment to the elimination of HFCs from the leading supermarket retailers,” says EIA campaigner Fionnuala Walravens.

In the report, the EIA urges the UK government to offer the supermarket and refrigeration industry clear direction and guidelines for the elimination of HFCs. As it stands now, emissions from HFCs (used in refrigeration and air conditioning) are predicted to escalate in the next decade with a climate change impact equal to 2.6 billion tonnes of CO2, about four times the UK’s current total greenhouse gas emissions.

The Chilling Facts report is available here.