US supermarkets receive awards for improving air quality

Efforts to improve air quality and reduce the use of ozone-depleting greenhouse gases have earned six US supermarkets awards from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

The EPA's GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership Best of the Best award went to the Price Chopper store in Colonie, New York, which was considered the single most successful retailer nationwide at reducing the environmental impact of its refrigeration equipment.

EPA acting regional administrator George Pavlou said that Price Chopper - which owns a medium-sized chain of supermarkets in New England, New York and Pennsylvania - is very effective at reducing the amount of refrigerant needed and the expected leak rate, making it a one-of-a-kind system in the US.

"Refrigerants are a double whammy - both depleting the ozone and contributing to climate change - so Price Chopper's efforts are highly commendable," he stated.

This year's other winners include King Kullen, Wild by Nature and Whole Foods stores.

Written by Claire Manning