EPA recognizes Giant for refrigerant emissions reduction

The Giant Co. has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for reaching its annual refrigerant emissions reduction goal in the EPA’s GreenChill Program in 2021. 

The EPA presented the Superior Goal Achievement honor to the company during the recent FMI Energy & Store Development Conference. 

 “We know every effort counts when it comes to healing our planet which is why we take actions every day throughout our stores to do our part as a responsible retailer and green innovator,” said Joe LaCagnina, director of store format for The GIANT Company. “Since joining EPA’s GreenChill Program in 2020 our team has been able to implement best practices from across our industry, including preventative maintenance programs, leak detection equipment and quick repairs, to further reduce our refrigerant emissions, which impact the ozone layer and climate change.” 

For the past several years, The GIANT Company said it has been performing refrigerant conversions, installing leak detectors, and replacing older refrigeration units, when possible, within its more than 190 stores. The company is also in direct communication with its vendors to repair any refrigerant leaks as quickly as possible. 

 “The GIANT Company’s Superior Goal Achievement is well deserved,” said Kersey Manliclic, GreenChill program manager for the EPA. “Despite just recently joining the GreenChill Partnership, they have already proved to be an example for other supermarket industry stakeholders.” 

 EPA’s GreenChill is a voluntary partnership with food retailers, system manufacturers, and chemical producers to reduce refrigerant emissions.  

GreenChill provides food retailers and other industry stakeholders with information and assistance to transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, reduce the amount of refrigerant they use, eliminate refrigerant leaks, implement environmental best practices, and adopt green refrigeration technologies.  

The EPA said there are 13,515 GreenChill Partner stores throughout the country.