Brookshire joins EPA environmental initiative

TYLER, Texas — Brookshire Grocery Co. has joined the Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill partnership, the supermarket chain said.

BGC said that by joining the initiative, it will work toward sustainability and protecting consumers' health and the environment. According to the EPA, a typical supermarket leaks about 1,000 pounds of refrigerant gas into the atmosphere each year, and BGC said it would work to reduce those emissions.

"We continue to explore ways to positively impact the environment," BGC president and CEO Rick Rayford said. "This pledge demonstrates our ongoing effort to provide our customers with more than just a great place to shop. We are committed to the safety of our communities and our environment and believe this partnership will help us exceed standard business practices and be responsible environmental stewards."

The GreenChill partnership works with supermarkets to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their effects on the ozone layer and environment.

"This partnership will help us reduce harmful refrigerant emissions, protect the ozone layer, cut costs for supermarkets and consumers and protect our health and the environment," EPA GreenChill manager Keilly Witman said.