Giant recognized by EPA’s GreenChill program

As part of its healing the planet commitment, Giant has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GreenChill program for reaching its annual refrigerant emissions reduction goal in 2021.

The Superior Goal Achievement honor was presented to Giant and other GreenChill partners 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 at Giant. “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.”

[Read more: Giant releases community impact report]

For the past several years, Giant 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 communications with its vendors to repair any refrigerant leaks as quickly as possible, Giant said.

“The Giant Co.'s Superior Goal Achievement is well deserved," said Kersey Manliclic, GreenChill program manager at the EPA. “Despite just recently joining the GreenChill partnership, they have already proved to be an example for other supermarket industry stakeholders.”

The EPA’s GreenChill is a voluntary partnership with food retailers, system manufacturers and chemical producers to reduce refrigerant emissions and decrease their impact on the ozone layer and climate change. GreenChill provides food retailers and other industry stakeholders with information and assistance to do the following: Transition to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, reduce the amount of refrigerant they use, eliminate refrigerant leaks, implement environmental best practices and adopt green refrigeration technologies. There are 13,515 GreenChill Partnership stores throughout the country.

Read more: Giant teams up with Empower at the Bridge Foundation to nourish Harrisburg families]