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The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates which refrigerants may be used and how refrigerants must be handled. It is important to note that individual states may write their own refrigeration regulations above and beyond the EPA regulations.

Since 2015, EPA has proposed several rules, but some of those rules have been vacated in court. We understand that it may be confusing which rules still apply. Please read below to understand which regulations will come into effect in January 2019.

SNAP Program, Prohibited Refrigerants, and California

What is the SNAP Program?

EPA regulates which refrigerants may be used for new or retrofit refrigeration through the Significant New Alternatives Policy (SNAP) program.

Which refrigerants were affected by recent EPA rules?

EPA released Rule 20 and Rule 21 through its SNAP program, which delisted refrigerants with high global warming potential (GWP). This prohibited common refrigerants such as R-134A, R-404A, and R-507A. However, EPA was challenged in court and lost on Rule 20, which means it has been vacated and will not go into effect. It is possible that Rule 21 will also be vacated, but the courts are still evaluating it. Use the links below for more information:

Can high GWP refrigerants be used?

Yes, depending on state. Rule 20 was vacated on a national level, but individual states may pass their own refrigeration regulations. In 2018, California passed a regulation that adopts Rule 20 (called Rule 1 in California). This rule prohibits high GWP refrigerants in California after January 1, 2019. More information is available on California legislature’s website: http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180SB1013

High GWP refrigerants can continue to be used in all other states, but that may change too. California is a member of the United States Climate Alliance (USCA), and the other states will likely adopt similar regulations. This includes Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

In summary, R-134A, R-404A, and R-507A may be used in all states except California, which prohibits those refrigerants. However, other states in the USCA are likely to prohibit those refrigerants in the coming years.

Section 608, Record Keeping, and Leakage Rates

What is Section 608?

EPA regulates how refrigerants are handled through Section 608 of the Clean Air Act. Section 608 affects many sectors in the refrigeration industry:

For more detail on how Section 608 applies, visit https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2018-09/documents/section_608_of_the_clean_air_act.pdf

What are the new Section 608 regulations?

EPA issued new regulations that 1) require owner/operators to keep additional records for their refrigeration systems, and 2) change the allowable leakage rates for refrigeration systems. These rules affect ozone depleting refrigerants and will take effect on January 1, 2019.

The new rule included refrigerants with high GWP such as R-134A, R-404A, and R-507A. However, EPA proposed to omit refrigerants with high GWP from the rule. This has not been finalized, so more information will be provided as it becomes available. Use the links below for further reading.

What records does an owner/operator need to keep?

What are the allowable system leakage rates?

EPA reduced the allowable leakage rates. Annual leakage rates are calculated as a percentage of the full system charge. Details for calculating leakage rates can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/608_fact_sheet_supermarkets_property_managers_0.pdf.

Allowable Leakage Rate Before Retiring or Replacing Old rule New rule
Commercial Refrigeration 35% 20%
Comfort Cooling 15% 10%
Industrial Process Refrigeration 35% 30%

What must be done when a leak is found?

If leakage rate exceeds allowable rates, the system must be repaired, retired, or replaced.

Repair: If a leak is repaired, the technician must ensure the system is leak-free before adding refrigerant. After refrigerant is added, the technician must check the repair again after the system returns to normal temperatures and pressures. Information for technicians can be found at https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/608_fact_sheet_technicians_0.pdf.

Retire or Replace: Owner/operators must develop a retrofit or retirement plan within 30 days if the leak cannot be repaired. The plan must be implemented within 1 year. If the leak is repaired within 180 days, the plan can be terminated and the system can be used.

What must be done after a leak?

After a leak, systems must be checked for leaks based on the schedule below. All visible, accessible parts of the systems must be inspected.

When should a leak be reported to EPA?

If the annual leakage rate of a refrigeration system exceeds 125% of the full charge within a calendar year, owner/operators must notify EPA by March 1 of the subsequent year and describe their efforts to identify and repair leaks.

In 2005, Hurricane Katrina destroyed all Robért Fresh Market locations. But 2018 marks a milestone as the New Orleans-based supermarket opened their sixth location and moves beyond the hurricane. “This particular location is a historic landmark,” General Manager Marc Robért III explained. “It was the first self-service grocery store in the city of New Orleans in 1941.” Even after being devastated by Katrina, the store still has some of the original terracotta and pine timbers.

Zero Zone provided refrigeration solutions as Robért Fresh Market rebuilt. “I worked with many vendors to get this store open, whether it was equipment vendors, décor vendors, lighting, and so on. I found that Zero Zone was an excellent vendor to work with,” Marc said.

Marc Robért chose Zero Zone to help achieve their mission of freshness. “We are Robért Fresh Market,” Marc emphasized. “We focus on fresh, locally-sourced, organic produce.” For produce and fresh meats, Marc chose the Zero Zone Reveal Merchandiser™ open case as the “impactful showstopper” at the entrance of the store. “As you walk through the front of our store and get through the vestibule, you see this case, there’s a visual line-of-sight to this case, the colors pop well, and the LED lights within the case really help bring the product to life.” He added that for vibrant products like produce and fresh meat, “eye appeal is buy appeal,” and the open display cases work perfectly for that.

For displaying other refrigerated products, he chose Zero Zone Crystal™ Merchandiser reach-in coolers and Highlight™ Merchandiser reach-in freezers. “The door cases make a very clean and neat presentation. I’ve heard concerns about putting product behind doors, but I feel that the doors create a nice, clean look to the store, and customers appreciate seeing that level of cleanliness.” Also, Marc is pleased that the Zero Zone door cases perform well in the hot, humid New Orleans climate. Marc reports that they have not had any door sweating issues.

With six locations open, Robért Fresh Market forges onward from Hurricane Katrina. They project growth for their company, and they can confidently move forward as partners with Zero Zone. “I will be using Zero Zone in the future,” he says. Zero Zone is proud to have been chosen to provide refrigerated display cases and refrigeration systems to Robért Fresh Market and wants to be your trusted partner for refrigeration solutions, too.

See the full interview with Marc Robert III here!

The physical footprint of a store can limit how it’s merchandised. A floor plan must find balance between the space used for shelving and displays and the aisle space that is available. Both are important to the store, and both demand a certain amount of room without jeopardizing the effectiveness of the other. At Zero Zone, we pride ourselves in our responsiveness to customer needs. To address this challenge, we present our innovative solution: the Crystal™ Merchandiser Ultra Narrow display case.

Designed with gondola shelving in mind, the Ultra Narrow fits neatly at the end of a gondola as a grab-and-go end cap case. The Ultra Narrow is also available as a space-saving back-to-back unit—a mere 55″ from handle to handle—which fits in line with shelving.

“They look terrific, and they are doing everything we want,” a store manager said about the new case. “Customers have really taken to them.” Consider the benefits of the Crystal™ Merchandiser Ultra Narrow display case, the Zero Zone solution for merchandising in limited areas.

View or download the product sheet and press release! Ultra Narrow and Back-to-Back Ultra Narrow spec sheets are also available.

Ray’s Apple Market built its reputation on excellent service. Before opening his first store in Seneca, KS, Ray Floersch worked in the meat department at a local grocery store, and he disliked how the owner treated customers. In 1965, he founded Ray’s Apple Market because he felt he could do better. Over 50 years later, his son Mike describes the relationship between store and shoppers. “We have a partnership with our customers. We want our customers to trust us. That’s how I feel about Zero Zone: they’re a partner. They trust me, and I trust them.” This trust between Ray’s Apple Market and Zero Zone developed over the course of their 2017 installation.

The “Apple” in Ray’s Apple Market comes from Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG), whose “Apple” merchandising approach focuses on perishables. “We feel like that’s where we need to be the best… perishables. You can buy groceries about anywhere today, but if we have the freshest meat, freshest produce, people will shop with you,” explains Mike. Mike chose the open Reveal Merchandiser™ for produce with its great presentation. For all other product, he switched from open cases to Zero Zone reach-in cases. “I was a little nervous about putting things behind doors, but I’m so glad I have,” Mike said, citing the LED lighting and tall doors making product very visible.

Ray’s Apple Market reduced their monthly energy bill by switching to Zero Zone display cases and refrigeration systems. Previously, they used single compressor units for each display case, but now all display cases run from two rack systems. “As the months went along, we could see our kilowatt [usage] lowering. I’m thinking we’re going to be looking at about a 20,000 kilowatt drop, which is about a 25% drop in energy usage,” said Mike. “Zero Zone helped us cut our energy costs, which we can pass on to our customers.”

With this switch, Ray’s Apple Market went from using multiple refrigerants—with some compressors still using dated R-12—to using a single refrigerant across the store. Mike decided to use R-448A because of the ever-changing EPA regulations and installation costs. “The copper tubing was smaller. When we compared the lines we took out to what we put in, it was almost like, ‘Really? Is this going to work?’ And it’s been great.”

Mike praised the Zero Zone sales representative for attending each installation—even arriving before Mike—to make sure everything went smoothly. Mike is grateful for Zero Zone. “I do not have to buy from Zero Zone, but when I get the kind of response they give me, then I’m sold.”

See the full interview with Mike Floersch here!

We are delighted to announce that the Zero Zone Refrigeration Systems Division in Ramsey, MN, has been selected as the City of Ramsey 2018 Business of the Year. The City of Ramsey and the Ramsey Economic Development Authority (EDA) will present the award at the Annual EDA Business Appreciation Golf Tournament in August.

The Business of the Year is selected based on exemplary performance in the following criteria: length of tenure, number of employees, community involvement, and uniqueness. The Refrigeration Systems Division has been in Ramsey since 1974, and during that time has been an industry leader. We focus on innovation, quality, and responsiveness as we provide state-of-the-art refrigeration solutions to our customers.

Since the beginning, Zero Zone has also been deeply connected to the community in Ramsey. Whether it’s by participating in local job fairs, sponsoring the annual Happy Days Festival, or supporting the Ramsey Volunteer Fire Department, Zero Zone desires to make a positive impact in its local community.

“We recognize that our employees are our most important asset,” says Rick Steer, Vice President and General Manager. “This award reflects their contributions to our company, and it is their time and effort that drives our involvement in our community. Thank you to the City of Ramsey for recognizing the efforts of our excellent workforce. We look forward to serving in the Ramsey area in 2018 and beyond.”

As CO2 gains popularity as both a commercial and industrial refrigerant, John Collins and the International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration (IIAR) are developing a new safety standard. According to John Collins, Industrial Sales Manager for Zero Zone, Inc. and chairman of the IIAR CO2 Task Group, this safety standard will cover each phase of CO2 refrigeration, including design, installation, commissioning, inspection, and maintenance.

CO2 refrigeration is developing rapidly, with breakthroughs in both subcritical and transcritical refrigeration. Zero Zone offers both subcritical and transcritical systems, with many new systems shipping in 2018. Existing safety regulations are either outdated or not focused specifically on CO2. Collins says the development of new standards is essential to ensure consistency throughout the industry.

The IIAR, an organization primarily focused on ammonia refrigeration, is branching into CO2 as part of an initiative to cover more natural refrigerants. This creates some challenges for the organization as ammonia is primarily an industrial refrigerant, but CO2 is available for both industrial and commercial applications. The CO2 Task Group collaborates with the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) to expand these safety standards to cover both industrial and commercial projects. The final document will be an accredited standard from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI).

Collins, a voting member of the IIAR Standards Committee since 2013, says this opportunity has allowed him to engage with passionate and knowledgeable industry leaders. The CO2 Task Group is comprised of a core working team of a dozen volunteers, supplemented by many more corresponding members and industry leaders. Collins is “energized” to be working with this dedicated and knowledgeable group to help the industry prepare for the future of CO2 refrigeration.

Vacated EPA SNAP Rule 20 Allows R-404A for Refrigeration Equipment

In 2015, the United State Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued SNAP Rule 20 to prohibit the use of certain hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) that were previously acceptable substitutes to ozone depleting substances. Rule 20 required refrigeration equipment manufacturers like Zero Zone to obsolete specific refrigerants, including R-404A and R-507A.

However, Rule 20 was challenged by parties who contended that the EPA SNAP Program could not be used to obsolete HFCs that did not deplete ozone. Rule 20 was overturned, and despite the decision being appealed to the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals, the court’s decision stood. Because of this, on February 5, 2018, Rule 20 has been vacated, which allows R-404A and R-507A to be used in new and retrofit refrigeration equipment again.

This change does not obsolete R-448A or any of the lower GWP refrigerants approved by SNAP. Customers may want to order R-448A or other lower GWP refrigerants in preparation for any future regulations. For example, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) has proposed legislation that will implement SNAP Rule 20 in September 2018 for the state of California. It is possible that other states will make similar rulings. Because of this, lower GWP refrigerants may still be the best option for many customers. Customers need to evaluate which refrigerant will be best for their situation.

For further information, contact Zero Zone at 800-247-4496 and ask for our Department of Regulatory Compliance and Refrigeration Technology. This message is informational only, and customers should review national and local laws and regulations to ensure compliance.

Let’s take a little vacation. Picture yourself on the beach with a can of your favorite cola in hand. The soda is ice cold, but the outside air is sunny and 75°F. The problem? Your hand is soaked with condensation from the can, causing you to hunt for the nearest koozie.

The same problem can occur with your refrigerated display cases. Warm air in the building mixes with the cool air inside the case and causes condensation buildup on your display case doors. Foggy display cases can decrease your sales if customers cannot see the products inside. You can’t afford to miss any potential sales opportunities, whether impulsive or not. Here are a few common issues that may cause door condensation and what you can do to minimize it.

Power Supply 

A common cause of door condensation is insufficient incoming voltage and amperage. Check that the amperage input matches the numbers on the display case dataplate. Without proper electrical input, components like the case anti-condensate heater will not operate at full capacity, causing condensation buildup. The case should receive a minimum of 115V for full operation. If the voltage is sufficient but the amperage is low, you may need to replace a burned out heater with a new heater. 

Store and Surface Temperature 

The surface temperature of your commercial refrigerator door must be greater than the dew point temperature of your store. The surface temperature of your case should be 58°F or more in a standard 75°F room. Case door temperatures may be too cold as a result of gasket, insulation, or cabinet air complications. Sweating may occur if your store dew point rises above that 58°F. Increasing air conditioning usage may decrease room temperature, but not necessarily decrease room humidity. Have your HVAC technician install or check your store dehumidification system to help remove excess moisture in the air. 

Interior Case Temperature 

Another factor that may cause door sweating is interior case temperatures. For ice cream products, a case colder than -15°F can cause sweating. Frozen food products stored at temperatures colder than

-10°F may also risk sweating unnecessarily. Talk to your technician about adjusting your temperatures if your case temperatures are not above these minimum recommendations.

These are just a few reasons for condensation occurring on your case doors; there could be other explanations. If you cannot identify the cause of the condensation, we recommend talking to your technician. And then take that vacation with your cold drink in hand.

Hey Food Retailers! We are excited to announce that our new Technology Center is open and ready for visitors! We now have 24,000 square feet of showroom and lab testing space that you can tour. The virtual supermarket showroom features both Zero Zone reach-in and open multi-deck cases, and the refrigeration systems showroom features our Edge™ XT exterior distributed system. And don’t forget about the state-of-the-art DOE Research & Development labs; they are very impressive!

“Peas” contact your local Zero Zone Sales Representative TODAY and “lettuce” take you on a personalized tour of the Zero Zone Technology Center! You’ll be “berry” glad you did.

Make your products the star of the show with the Highlight™ Merchandiser from Zero Zone, featuring taller doors with 5 more inches of glass, giving your shoppers a more expansive view of your products. Learn more about the Highlight™ Merchandiser in this Product Spotlight video and check out the Highlight™ Merchandiser product page for more information, product literature, and spec sheets.