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    Food and Beverage

    What is Cold Chain Emissions?

    Carbon emissions from refrigerated transport and storage of perishable goods. Cold chain emissions include refrigerant leaks as well as energy consumption for cooling.

    Why it matters

    Cold chain operations consume significant energy and use refrigerants with high global warming potential. As regulations phase down high-GWP refrigerants and energy costs remain elevated, optimising the cold chain delivers both carbon and cost benefits.

    Example

    A frozen food distributor audits its cold chain and finds that refrigerant leaks from ageing trailer units contribute 35 tCO₂e annually. Upgrading to modern units with natural refrigerants eliminates this source and improves cooling efficiency by 15%.

    Related terms

    Logistics Emissions

    Carbon emissions from the transportation, warehousing, and distribution of goods. Logistics emissions include fuel consumption, vehicle emissions, and energy use in distribution centres.

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