World News

Industry news and insights from Europe and around the World

UK News

Latest news and developments in the United Kingdom

Products

Keep up-to-date with the latest new products and technology

Features

General articles, applications and industry analysis

EIA questions retailers’ HFC commitment

2252292_sFRANCE: The Consumer Goods Forum, which this week called upon world leaders to agree a global climate deal, has come in for criticism for its own lack of action.

Calling on world leaders to secure an ambitious and legally binding global climate deal, the Board of The Consumer Goods Forum (CGF) also used its Global Summit in Paris this week to renew its commitment to begin phasing-out HFCs in new refrigeration installations by 2015 and replace them with “natural” refrigerants.

However, the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA) has called upon the CGF to live up to that commitment. In its document Time to Commit on HFCs, the EIA says: “Our research shows that some CGF members have made significant efforts to realise this commitment while others are not yet out of the starting blocks.”

Members of the Consumer Goods Forum include some 400 retailers, manufacturers, service providers, and other stakeholders across 70 countries.

As part of its commitment made in 2010 to phase out HFCs in new installations from 2015,  the CGF also pledged to start piloting solutions for new installations with natural refrigerants.

Calling on retailers to provide leadership on HFCs, the EIA claims that of the 25 retailer Board members, as many as 16 have yet to make a public commitment to phase out HFCs in new installations from 2015 and just 18 appear to be piloting systems with natural refrigerants.

“This indicates that numerous retailers are unprepared to begin phasing out HFC refrigeration in 2015,” it says.

Further, it calls upon retailers to apply its commitments globally.

“It is also important to note that, in some cases,  a company’s commitment to move away from HFCs only appears to  apply to the country in which they are based,” the EIA says.

Latest News

12th May 2025

Refra signs distribution deal with Hussmann

LITHUANIA/AUSTRALIA: Lithuanian refrigeration equipment manufacturer Refra has signed a partnership with Hussmann, giving the company exclusive rights to distribute Refra’s products in Australia and New Zealand.
12th May 2025

Friga-Bohn unveils Nova cubic cooler

FRANCE: Friga-Bohn is unveiling the Nova cubic evaporator for commercial and semi-industrial refrigeration applications, as well as low-temperature preservation.
12th May 2025

Heat pumps part of £11m university decarb project

UK: The installation of heat pumps to replace gas-fired equipment is part of an £11m decarbonisation project announced for the University of Wolverhampton.
11th May 2025

Northern Branch to hold breakfast briefing

UK: The Northern Branch of the Institute of Refrigeration has announced that its first Technical Breakfast briefing will be held next month at South Shields FC.
10th May 2025

Regional show debuts at Villa Park

UK: A one-day regional refrigeration, air conditioning and heat pump exhibition opens its doors this week at Birmingham's Villa Park, home of Aston Villa FC.
10th May 2025

Swedish valve company ESBE opens UK office

UK: Swedish valves and actuator manufacturer ESBE AB has opened a UK office in Rossendale, Lancashire.