[USEPA] – Costco Wholesale Corp., one of the nation’s largest retailers, has agreed to cut its emissions of ozone-depleting and greenhouse gases from leaking refrigeration equipment at more than half of its stores nationwide.
In the settlement announced Sept. 3 by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and U.S. Department of Justice, Costco will pay $335,000 in penalties for federal Clean Air Act violations and will fix refrigerant leaks and make other improvements at 274 of its stores, which EPA estimates will cost about $2 million over the next three years.
“Because of this settlement, Costco will cut its future greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to nearly 200 million pounds of carbon dioxide, supporting our efforts to cut greenhouse gases nationwide,” said Jared Blumenfeld, EPA’s Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest. “Investing in better equipment and maintenance to stop wasteful refrigerant leaks is good for our environment and good for business.”
“Compliance with the nation’s Clean Air Act is key to protecting all Americans from air pollution that damages our atmosphere and changes our climate,” said Sam Hirsch, Acting Assistant Attorney General for the Justice Department’s Environment and Natural Resources Division. “Industry needs to lead the way in abandoning harmful chemicals in favor of using and developing greener, environmentally friendly alternatives to protect our health and our climate.”
Costco violated the Clean Air Act by failing to promptly repair refrigeration equipment leaks of the refrigerant R-22, a powerful ozone-depleting hydrochlorofluorocarbon, between 2004 and 2007. Costco also failed to keep adequate records of the servicing of its refrigeration equipment to prevent harmful leaks. Destroying the ozone layer results in dangerous amounts of cancer-causing ultraviolet solar radiation striking the earth, increasing skin cancers and cataracts. R-22 is also a potent greenhouse gas with 1,800 times more global warming potential than carbon dioxide or CO2.
The settlement requires Costco to retrofit or replace commercial refrigeration equipment at 30 of its stores to reduce ozone-depleting and greenhouse gas emissions. Costco must also implement a refrigerant management system to prevent and repair coolant leaks and reduce its corporate-wide average leak rate at least 20 percent by 2017. In addition, Costco will install and operate environmentally friendly glycol refrigeration systems and centrally monitored refrigerant leak detection systems at all new stores.
The settlement is part of EPA’s national enforcement initiative to control harmful air pollution from the largest sources of emissions. The Clean Air Act requires owners or operators of commercial refrigeration equipment that use over 50 pounds of ozone-depleting refrigerants and have an annual leak rate over 35 percent to repair all leaks within 30 days.
Corporate commitments to reduce emissions from refrigeration systems have been increasing in recent years. EPA’s GreenChill Partnership with food retailers reduces refrigerant emissions and decreases their impact on the ozone layer and climate change by transitioning to environmentally friendlier refrigerants, using less refrigerant and eliminating leaks, and adopting green refrigeration technologies.
Costco, headquartered in Issaquah, Wash., operates 466 stores in the U.S. and additional stores worldwide, with revenues of $105.2 billion in 2013. The settlement covers 274 Costco stores with regulated commercial refrigeration equipment, including 67 stores in California, 14 in Arizona, 5 in Nevada, and 4 in Hawaii.
The proposed settlement is subject to a 30-day public comment period and final court approval.
COMMENT POLICY: We welcome comments from individuals and businesses. All comments are moderated. Comments are subject to rejection if they are vulgar, combative, or in poor taste.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
The California Department of Motor Vehicles announced a new round of extensions for commercial driver’s licenses expiring through May 31 that will help commercial drivers focus on delivering essential products and supplies during the COVID-19 emergency.
The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) announced Thursday the upcoming launch of the Los Angeles Online Dispute Resolution (LA-ODR) program, in collaboration with the Superior Court of California, Los Angeles County and its Dispute Resolution Program (DRP), and the Center for Conflict Resolution.
A former manager of the Valencia COVID-19 testing lab is being sued by the operator for breaching her contract after she accused the company of poor performance.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed Thursday 132 new deaths and 2,072 new cases of COVID-19, with 25,990 total cases in the Santa Clarita Valley.
Santa Clarita City Council members declined Tuesday to administer $6.8 million in state rental assistance funds for eligible residents who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and let the state handle those dollars but approved creating a program for them with $6.3 million from the federal government.
Flair Cleaners, Southern California’s leading eco-friendly dry cleaner, is hosting its 6th Annual Flair Cares Food Drive, Hang Up Hunger, through March 31
Youth and adult sports leagues can resume outdoors in Los Angeles County, after the county’s Department of Public Health announced Wednesday the agency is aligning its protocols with the state’s.
Acclaimed guitarist, songwriter, record producer, and Rock 'n' Roll Hall of Famer Mike Campbell, formerly a member of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, will be the first to host radio station 88.5-FM's new "Artist in Residence" series Saturday, February 27, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
In the wake of the Canadian Transport Ministry’s Interim Order extending the closure of Canadian ports and waters to passenger vessels, Santa Clarita-based Princess Cruises has found it necessary to cancel three voyages:
Los Angeles County Supervisor Kathryn Barger’s motion to explore ways to protect and support the rights of crime victims was unanimously approved by the Board of Supervisors Tuesday.
Programs at the Castaic Lake Recreation Area and pool are set to return after the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a motion to restore the budget for the county's Department of Parks and Recreation.
The city of Santa Clarita has awarded a contract to the Los Angeles Kings and American Sports Entertainment Company (ASEC) for the operation of the city-owned ice rink, located at 27745 Smyth Drive in Valencia.
The California Air Resources Board or CARB is not doing enough to measure and analyze whether its transportation programs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are effective, the state auditor said in a report issued Tuesday.
REAL NAMES ONLY: All posters must use their real individual or business name. This applies equally to Twitter account holders who use a nickname.
0 Comments
You can be the first one to leave a comment.