North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council Launches Initiative to Reduce Super-Polluting Supermarket Refrigerant Leaks

Supermarkets leak an estimated 55 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent annually

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants in supermarkets, today announced its publication of a free leak reduction guide outlining the significant sources of refrigerant leaks in existing systems. Using data gathered by NASRC supermarket members, the document proposes equipment specification measures for new refrigeration systems to minimize leaks and reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.

“Together with NASRC, U.S. retailers are proactively taking steps to characterize and reduce refrigerant leaks over the lifespan of refrigeration systems,” said Danielle Wright, executive director of NASRC. “By taking the lead in identifying these issues and proposing solutions, we hope to drive a new industry standard and reduce the cost burden through economies of scale.”

Supermarket refrigeration is one of the leading sources of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant (HFC) emissions. The NASRC estimates the annual climate impact from supermarket and grocery store refrigerant leaks to be 55 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2e).

“Refrigerant leaks are more than a climate issue,” said Wright. “They present logistical challenges and additional expenses for supermarkets.”

To address this, NASRC’s members prepared a data-driven list of the top issues causing refrigerant leaks. Members identified leak reduction measures and shared them with major original equipment manufacturers. Participants included members from 14 retailers representing national and regional chains with nearly 17,000 U.S. locations.

NASRC will feature the report’s findings and highlight solutions to climate-damaging refrigerants at its annual Sustainable Refrigeration Summit on October 24 – 28. The virtual event is free to attend, thanks to the generous sponsorship from Alfa Laval, BITZER US, Emerson, and others. Learn more and register here.

Download the free Leak Reduction Initiative guide.

Learn more about the environmental impacts of HFCs.

About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council

The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by traditional hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerants. We collaborate with stakeholders from across the industry, including over 38,000 food retail locations, to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets. For more information, visit nasrc.org, Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin.

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