The government is pushing for policies on the use of “low-carbon, energy-efficient” cold chain system to eliminate the use of hydrochlorofluorocarbons—an ozone depleting substance causing global warming.
The Department of Environment and Natural Resources is carrying out the $27.5-million “Global Partnership for Improving the Food Cold Chain in the Philippines” project that involves putting up environment-friendly cold chain facilities.
It said these refrigeration systems for transporting goods for the food industry would no longer use ODS-HCFC.
Stringent policies are important in providing a stable investment environment for investors in “green” cooling technologies, the DENR said.
Cold chain covers every produce that needs cooling from the “field to the fork” including transport, storage, transformation and packaging. Policies will involve national standards for flammable refrigerants and revision of energy efficiency standards.
