Target Joins EPA’s GreenChill Program

MICHAEL GARRY

MINNEAPOLIS — Target here Tuesday announced that it is joining the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's GreenChill program to reduce refrigeration emissions by adopting green refrigeration technologies in its stores.

Established in November 2007, the GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership is a voluntary program in which food retailers set goals for reducing refrigerant leaks and monitor progress toward those goals. It also supports refrigerant charge reduction and the use of alternative refrigeration systems. With Target, the program includes about 7,000 stores operating in all 50 states. Target is now its largest retail member.

The announcement was made Tuesday during a press conference at a Target store in Hudson, Wis., which uses advanced refrigeration technology. The company was joined by representatives from the EPA and Congressman Ron Kind, D-Wis. Target uses refrigeration in the P-fresh section of about 500 of its 1,500 discount stores as well as in its 251 SuperTarget stores. The company is slated to have 850 P-fresh stores by the end of 2011.

"Target is excited to join the GreenChill partnership and extend our sustainability initiatives to the refrigeration systems in our stores," said Dan Riley, vice president, property development operations, Target, in a statement. "We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint by forging new partnerships, achieving milestones in our business and progressing towards our sustainability goals. Today's announcement represents an important step in reducing Target's refrigeration emissions."

"GreenChill is very proud to welcome Target as its latest and largest food retail partner," said Keilly Witman, GreenChill Program Manager, EPA. "As Target expands its fresh food assortment throughout the nation, excellent refrigeration management will become more and more important for the company's environmental responsibility goals. Target's partnership with GreenChill is a commitment to the public that the company is protecting the environment during its expansion."