Rising temperatures pose a threat to Washington’s water supplies, coastlines, communities, and economy. Ironically, a significant portion of the greenhouse gases that are driving that warming comes from chemicals used as refrigerants. They’re in everything from car air conditioning to the industrial-scale systems used in food storage and processing.
Compared to other greenhouse gases, these refrigerants make up a tiny portion of Washington’s emissions. But when they leak into the atmosphere, they can pack a climate change punch hundreds or even thousands of times that of carbon dioxide, the most common greenhouse gas. The good news is that refrigerant systems are intended to operate as closed loops — nothing has to get in or out as long as the equipment is properly maintained.
In order to contain these super-pollutants, the Washington Legislature passed a law requiring businesses with large refrigeration systems to take steps to prevent leaks. The same law directed Ecology to set up the Refrigerant Management Program to help companies safely monitor and manage refrigerants.
If you own, operate or service this type of equipment, keep reading here at the WA DOE website! We’re digging into the who, what, when, where, and why of this program, including how it benefits businesses.
