KEASBEY, N.J. — Wakefern Food Corp. announced Thursday that a Hatfield, Pa., ShopRite store has been awarded the GreenChill Gold Certification from the Environmental Protection Agency for its low refrigerant charge and leak rate.
The ShopRite is owned and operated by KTM II Supermarkets, a family-owned business that also operates the ShopRite of West Chester, Pa. KTM is a member of the Wakefern Food Corp. wholesale cooperative.
GreenChill, a voluntary partnership consisting of the EPA, food retailers and refrigeration suppliers, awards certifications to food retailers who have implemented sustainable cooling systems, thereby reducing refrigerant emissions and decreasing their impact on the ozone layer and climate change. The EPA’s goal in creating this award is to encourage retailers to act as partners to transition their stores to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, eliminate environmentally and financially costly refrigerant leaks and to adopt green refrigeration technologies and other environmental practices.
The Hatfield ShopRite uses carbon dioxide and glycol rather than ozone-depleting refrigerants. The substances are virtually leak proof, thereby creating a safer and more cost-effective system. The store also has several other “green” features, including energy-efficient store lighting in the form of LED lamps and T-8 bulbs, frozen and dairy display cases equipped with energy-efficient doors, as well as water-conserving forced-air meat and seafood display cases.
“We are honored to be selected with other environmentally-conscious retailers to accept this prestigious award,” said Jim Madanci, operations director for KTM II Supermarkets. “ShopRite has a deep-rooted investment in environmentally friendly practices and we are grateful to be recognized as an EPA partner. We will continue to improve our environmental efforts in all our stores.”
