Weis Markets has announced that three of its supermarkets constructed in Pennsylvania incorporate technologies and systems designed to reduce store refrigerant charges by 50 percent less than a typical supermarket.

Weis Markets began construction of superstores in three Pennsylvania locations: Bellefonte (Centre County), West Lawn (Berks County), and Fork Township (Northampton County).

The announcement of the new technologies was made at an award ceremony at Weis Markets’ Carlisle Street store in Hanover. The Hanover store was the first supermarket in the state of Pennsylvania to earn a certification award from the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership, a voluntary Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) alliance with food retailers to reduce refrigerant emissions, according to Keilly Witman, manager of EPA’s GreenChill Partnership.

“Reducing the environmental impact of our stores is a key part of being a good neighbor and we are committed to doing so in the years ahead,” said Kevin Small, Weis Markets’ vice president, construction and development. “As a long-time proponent of sustainability and recycling, we have embraced the next generation of technology that will allow us to reduce our carbon footprint and operate our stores more efficiently. We plan for these three new stores to achieve GreenChill certification.”

“Weis’ commitment to achieve GreenChill’s certification standards for three new stores proves that the company is serious about its role in protecting the ozone layer and preventing climate change,” said Witman. “It is important that companies understand that helping the environment doesn’t end with one store. It has to become the business model of the future.”

To achieve GreenChill’s Silver certification, a store must meet environmental criteria, including:

• Use refrigerants that do not damage the Earth’s protective ozone layer.

• Reduce the size of its refrigerant charge by at least 50 percent from the industry average.

• Reduce annual refrigerant emissions to 15 percent or less of total store capacity.

• Test refrigeration systems for adherence to GreenChill’s leak tightness guidelines.

The Hanover store attained a Silver certificate by installing a glycol refrigeration system reducing the refrigerant charge to less than one-half that of a typical supermarket.

Publication date:10/11/2010