Global Update
UK
US
REFRIGERANT CRIME TRACKER
BEHIND THE SCREEN DOOR
Refrigerant gases have now been added to the Global Environmental Crime Tracker, and initiative of the UK-headquartered Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). “We are now seeing a surge of illicit trade in climate-wrecking hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs),” the EIA says. “HFCs were introduced as replacements to their ozone‑destroying predecessors but are now being phased down in efforts to combat climate change, with the European Union’s F-Gas Regulation an example of early action.” Developed with the EIA’s Intelligence Team, the global refrigerant seizure tracker contains information dating back to 2001. “Seizure data is collated from news reports, data submitted to the Montreal Protocol and direct communications with governments and enforcement authorities,” the EIA says. “The interactive dashboard and live mapping allow users to zero in on precisely the information they want, such as refrigerant type, exporting country and smuggling method.
In shades of dystopian science fiction films such Blade Runner and Minority Report, thousands of US supermarkets have replaced their clear fridge and freezer doors with opaque doors featuring iPad-like screens showing what’s inside. Developed by the startup Cooler Screens, the doors use a system of motion sensors and cameras to display the fridge and freezer contents. They also show product information, prices, deals, and advertisements. The tech provides shops with an additional revenue stream and a way to modernise the shopping experience. Using facial recognition and other smarts, the screens can serve ads to consumers based on variables such as the approximate age the technology believes they are, their gender, and the weather. But the new fridge technology has received a frosty reception. “Why would [they] do this?” one shopper posted on social media. “Who on God’s green Earth thought this was a good idea?”
“And because we believe in sharing information to bolster awareness and enforcement efforts around the world, we’ve made the tracker free to use and accessible for everyone, from fellow environmental campaigners to journalists and the public.” ■
“The digital cooler screens … made me watch an ad,” tweeted another irate shopper, “before it allowed me to know which door held the frozen pizzas.” ■
SWITZERLAND
WORLD
HYDROCARBONS AT HOME?
COOLING ON THE MENU
The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) has revised its safety standard to allow larger charges of flammable refrigerants in household appliances such as air conditioners, heat pumps and dehumidifiers. The move could open the way for greater use of low-GWP flammable refrigerants such as hydrocarbons in residential air conditioning. The standard in question is Standard IEC 60335-2-40, which deals with the safety of electric heat pumps. “The new edition of IEC 60335-2-40 will enable R290 to be used in many AC and heat-pump systems which were previously blocked from using this refrigerant by the outdated version,” says Asbjørn Vonsild, the convenor of the IEC working group. “This will enable a thousand-fold reduction in direct climate emissions compared with systems using R410A.” The new edition of the standard allows the use of larger charges if additional mitigation measures, such as refrigerant sensors and circulation fans, are in place. It also introduces a new method for calculating maximum charge by taking into consideration design features that will prevent the escape of refrigerant. ■ 8
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HVAC&R News
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www.airah.org.au/hvacrnews
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June–July 2022
World Refrigeration Day is coming up on June 26! To celebrate, a new initiative has been launched to explain cooling’s essential role in protecting human health and the planet. The Cooling Keeps Food Fresh campaign will describe why cooling is necessary for food safety and how it supports nutritious diets that sustain our health, help reduce food loss and waste, and protect the environment. Central to the campaign is the support of Chefs4thePlanet – an international community of chefs from around the world who are concerned about the impact of food on our planet and our health. Leading chefs from around the world – including Chefs4thePlanet co‑founders Anne Le More and Sebastien Ripari – have signed on to the campaign. They will describe how cooling is necessary for their locally inspired cuisine. The chefs’ recipes will be accompanied by tips educating consumers on the cooling choices they can make in their home to save money, prolong the life of products, and understand how food waste and loss contribute to climate change. ■
