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Today's consumers are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact
of the businesses where they shop. As general awareness of environmental issues
spreads, it becomes more and more important for supermarkets to proactively demonstrate that they
share their communities' commitments to environmental protection.
Refrigeration and the Environment
A typical food retail store's refrigeration system ieaks about one quarter of its refrigerant charge each
year. In addition to the financial expense these refrigerant leaks represent for a store's bottom line, they
also contribute to climate change and can harm the ozone layer.
GreenChill Certification
The U.S. EPA's GreenChill Partnership recognizes individual store achievements in environmentally-
friendlier refrigeration with its Store Certification Program for food retail stores. The program awards
either platinum-, gold-, or silver-level certification to food retail stores that significantly reduce the
environmental impact of their refrigeration systems.
Today's customers want to do business with stores that share their values. Achieving GreenChill
certification for your store provides recognition and publicity for your company's commitment to
environmental protection. In addition, achieving GreenChill certification for individual stores can be an
effective way to build and sustain store employee morale. Everyone wants to feel proud of where they
work!
Certification Process
Certification is available at no cost to food retail stores in the United
States. The process is fast and easy. You simply fill out a short
application with information about the type of refrigerants used in
the store, refrigerant emissions, and refrigerant charge. There are
separate forms for fully operational stores and newly constructed
stores. Once a store has submitted the appropriate form, EPA
wiil review the information and confer certification if warranted. In
general, the EPA turnaround time for review and certification is brief.
Store certification is awarded for one year and stores can reapply
on a yearly basis. Certification forms, along with detailed guidance,
are available on the GreenChill Web site www.epa.gov/greenchill/
certcenter.html.

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Certification Standards
Food retail stores can achieve either platinum-, gold-, or
silver-level certification.
• Platinum Level. The store must use only non-ozone-
depleting refrigerants. In addition, the store must meet
one of the following sets of conditions:
- The store must achieve an average HFC refrigerant
charge of no more than 0.5 pounds of refrigerant per
1,000 BTU per hour total evaporator cooling load
and a store-wide annual refrigerant emissions rate of
no more than 5%.
EPA"s GreenChill Advanced
Refrigeration Partnership
Although membership in the GreenChill
Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is
not required to be considered for store
certification, there are advantages to being
a GreenChill Partner. The GreenChill
Partnership is made up of industry leaders
in green refrigeration technology and
environmental stewardship. GreenChill
is an EPA partnership with food retailers
to reduce refrigerant emissions and
decrease their impact on the ozone layer
and climate change. GreenChill Partners
in the food retail industry have refrigerant
emissions rates nearly 50% lower than the
EPA-estimated industry average.
The GreenChill Partnership researches
advanced technology and servicing
practices and provides Partners with
tools that can be used to attain corporate
environmental goals. Partners also benefit
from the opportunity to share information
on environmental best practices and
increased publicity for their commitments
to their environmental goals.
For additional information on the
GreenChill Partnership or the
GreenChill Store Certification Program,
please contact:
Keilly Witman at (202) 343-9742
witman.keilly@epa.gov
or
- All refrigerants used in the store's commercial
refrigeration system must have global warming
potentials lower than 150,
•	Gold Level. The store must use only non-ozone-
depleting refrigerants. It must also achieve an average
HFC refrigerant charge of no more than 1.25 pounds
of refrigerant per 1,000 BTU per hour total evaporator
cooling load and a store-wide annual refrigerant
emissions rate of no more than 15%.
•	Silver Level. The store must use only non-ozone-
depleting refrigerants. It must also achieve an average
HFC refrigerant charge of no more than 1.75 pounds
of refrigerant per 1,000 BTU per hour total evaporator
cooling load and a store-wide annual refrigerant
emissions rate of no more than 15%.
Additional Information
For more information on the GreenChill Certification Program,
visit our web site at www.epa.gov/greenchill/certcenter.htm,
where you will find the following material:
•	Detailed GreenChill certification criteria for platinum-,
gold-, or silver-level certification;
•	Guidance on meeting the criteria and general guidance
on the certification program; and
•	Certification forms for newly constructed and operational
stores.
www.epa.gov/greenchill

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