By 2010 the supermarket industry could experience a shortfall in the supply of R-22 as a result of the recent acceleration of the phaseout schedule outlined under the terms of the Montreal Protocol, according to DuPont Refrigeration. DuPont estimates that the majority of the 34,000 supermarkets in the United States are still using R-22 as their primary refrigerant.
During a recent webinar, Nick Strickland, market development manager, DuPont Refrigerants, discussed possible R-22 supply shortfall scenarios. He also urged the audience to take immediate action to retrofit existing equipment with R-22 alternatives to ensure the continuity of their store operations as the phaseout deadline approaches. “If you have a chain of supermarkets with 100 stores, you should be retrofitting more than one a week starting now in order to ensure the continuity of your business,” Strickland said.
