presents
On Thin Ice
How the NHL is Cheating the Climate
How the NHL is Cheating the Climate
Table of Contents
Introduction | Mitigating HFCs to Avoid >1.5°C Warming | Downplay, Deny, and Delay | Fluorinated Refrigerants as PFAS | Opteon Global Warming Potentials | EIA’s Investigation | Video Evidence | Non-HFC Refrigerants in Ice Rinks | Potential Climate Impacts | NHL Promotion & Sustainability Message | Conclusions
At a time when science is unequivocally telling us that we need immediate and large-scale reductions in greenhouse gases to avoid catastrophic climate change, it has become even more critical to strengthen global efforts to mitigate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the most destructive man-made greenhouse gases in circulation. An EIA investigation has uncovered deeply troubling information that the National Hockey League (NHL) agreed to accept millions of dollars from the Chemours Company (Chemours) to promote their HFC products as environmentally sustainable under the NHL Green program in ice rinks and beyond.
The NHL Green program is now actively promoting Chemours’ Opteon refrigerants containing HFCs with climate impacts thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide.
The dominant refrigerant used in ice rinks, ammonia, is a non-HFC refrigerant that has zero direct climate impact and is widely used, including in a majority of NHL rinks today. The NHL-Chemours partnership poses serious ethical concerns by disseminating a dangerously misleading message that it is sustainable to choose a potent greenhouse gas over a refrigerant with zero climate impact. The NHL is using its prominent influence and platform to amplify this misinformation to communities and companies.
EIA’s investigation confirms the NHL-Chemours agreement seeks to direct significant resources towards a conversion to HFCs in ice rinks across North America and even expand their use in other cooling sectors. If successful in widely displacing other alternatives with Chemours products, it could contribute to increasing HFC use and emissions by billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. We call on the NHL to immediately cease all messaging and activities that promote chemicals containing HFCs as sustainable. The NHL should increase its commitment to true sustainability and climate action by supporting the goal of eliminating HFCs in ice rinks through greater adoption of non-HFC cooling technologies using refrigerants like ammonia with no direct emissions impact.
EIA’s investigation confirms the NHL-Chemours agreement seeks to direct significant resources towards a conversion to HFCs in ice rinks across North America and even expand their use in other cooling sectors. If successful in widely displacing other alternatives with Chemours products, it could contribute to increasing HFC use and emissions by billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. We call on the NHL to immediately cease all messaging and activities that promote chemicals containing HFCs as sustainable. The NHL should increase its commitment to true sustainability and climate action by supporting the goal of eliminating HFCs in ice rinks through greater adoption of non-HFC cooling technologies using refrigerants like ammonia with no direct emissions impact.
Faster HFC reductions are critical to avoid catastrophic warming.
Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) are man-made chemicals used primarily in cooling and are contributing significantly to climate change. HFCs are called “super pollutants” because they have global warming potentials (GWPs) hundreds to thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide. In 2016, the Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol was adopted to implement a global phase-down of HFCs; more than 120 countries have now ratified the Amendment. In North America both the US and Canada are implementing domestic legislation to achieve a phasedown consistent with the global timeline to reduce the amount of HFCs produced and consumed by at least 85% by 2036.
The Kigali Amendment is anticipated to prevent up to half a degree Celsius of warming this century. However, avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate change requires a deeper reduction of HFCs than Kigali Amendment implementation, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.1 Achieving deeper reductions will require cooling sectors that use HFCs widely to transition to the most climate-friendly cooling technologies available. Sectors that have already widely adopted non-HFC cooling technologies, such as ice rinks, will need to avoid unnecessary increased adoption of HFCs to accomplish this goal.
The Kigali Amendment is anticipated to prevent up to half a degree Celsius of warming this century. However, avoiding the most catastrophic impacts of climate change requires a deeper reduction of HFCs than Kigali Amendment implementation, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) special report on impacts of global warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius.1 Achieving deeper reductions will require cooling sectors that use HFCs widely to transition to the most climate-friendly cooling technologies available. Sectors that have already widely adopted non-HFC cooling technologies, such as ice rinks, will need to avoid unnecessary increased adoption of HFCs to accomplish this goal.
DuPont and its spin-off Chemours have a history of misleading the public on fluorinated chemicals.
Chemours and its former parent company DuPont de Nemours, Inc., commonly known as DuPont, have a long history of producing and selling chlorinated and fluorinated chemicals with lasting harmful effects on our planet and human health. The Chemours Company is an American chemical company headquartered in Delaware, founded in 2015 as a spin-off from DuPont. DuPont was one of the first companies to begin making chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) in the 1930s and became the largest global CFC producer in the world, supplying around 25% of the global market.2
Scientists first discovered the link between CFCs and ozone depletion in Nobel Prize winning work published in 1974.3 Greenpeace documented DuPont’s tactics to question and discredit the science of ozone depletion for more than a decade and delay long promised action to stop producing CFCs:
Scientists first discovered the link between CFCs and ozone depletion in Nobel Prize winning work published in 1974.3 Greenpeace documented DuPont’s tactics to question and discredit the science of ozone depletion for more than a decade and delay long promised action to stop producing CFCs:
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, DuPont and other CFC manufacturers attacked the accuracy of the science, and even “set up their own scientific task forces and asked government agencies to hold off on regulatory action.”5 Following publication of the scientific findings in 1974 and a 1975 report by the National Academy of Sciences confirming the theory, the US Government moved fairly quickly to ban CFCs in aerosols in 1978.6 However, according to both Greenpeace and the New York Times, DuPont continued to question the science connecting CFCs with ozone depletion for another decade before finally changing course in 1988.7 CFCs were not only the primary factor leading to the hole in the ozone layer; they are also potent climate warming gases themselves. Although CFCs were phased-out more than a decade ago, CFC stocks still contained in buildings and equipment today have been estimated at 9 billion metric tonnes CO2 equivalent an amount greater than the current annual greenhouse gas emissions of the United States.8
DuPont, and now Chemours, went on to produce the next generation of CFC replacements, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs), including the most widely used HCFC-22 which was trademarked by DuPont as “Freon.” With the spin-off of Chemours in 2015, DuPont jettisoned its fluorocarbon production business. However Chemours continues to produce and emit HCFC-22 today, which is used to make HFCs and increasingly, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs). Reporting by Inside Climate News has documented that Chemours is venting HCFC-22 and the most potent climate warming HFC gas of all, HFC-23, in the process of manufacturing fluorinated refrigerants, despite earlier commitments to end these emissions.9 For the past decade, a facility in Louisville, KY, emitted anywhere from 2.7 to 5.15 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent each year in the co-production of HCFC-22 and HFC-23.10 The facility was run by DuPont until 2015, when it was taken over by Chemours.11 Chemours announced a project to capture and destroy at least 99% of HFC-23 from the Louisville factory by the end of 2022, but presumably continues to emit significant quantities of HFC-23 today.12 Early scientific findings that are not yet peer-reviewed suggest a certain HFO chemical may decompose and become a source of HFC-23 by-product in the atmosphere.13
Chemours’ “Opteon” refrigerants containing HFCs mixed with HFOs, are the latest generation of fluorinated chemicals that have significant climate impacts.
DuPont’s apparent legacy of environmental harm and past denial of science related to the impacts from chemicals it has produced has not been limited to fluorinated refrigerants.14 According the Intercept and Union of Concerned Scientists, DuPont concealed decades worth of internal research on environmental and health impacts of several other fluorinated chemicals they have produced including C8 and other per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) used in Teflon, fire fighting foams, and other products, despite internal research linking them to negative health effects as well as test results that found the chemicals in the local water supply near production facilities.15 In response to lawsuits, Dupont has denied hiding PFAS test results and issued a statement related to PFAS in 2019, after spinning off Chemours and its PFAS related business.16 Chemours has committed to eliminate 99% of PFAS emissions from manufacturing processes by 2030, but by all accounts continues to emit these substances from its factories today.17 New reporting by the New York Times indicates that Chemours and Dupont have both downplayed the risks of their chemicals and gone to great lengths to evade financial responsibility for their ongoing impacts on surrounding communities.18 EIA is deeply concerned by what appears to be a consistent failure by DuPont and their spin-off Chemours to acknowledge, inform, and protect impacted communities and the public from the environmental and health damage caused by fluorinated chemicals and products containing them.
Fluorinated Refrigerants as PFAS
Climate change is not the only potential concern when it comes to HFCs and other fluorinated refrigerants. The prevailing definition of per- or poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is any substance containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.19 A number of fluorinated refrigerants, including CFCs, HCFCs, and HFCs, fall under this widely accepted definition of PFAS, but the newest generation of fluorinated refrigerants, hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) may pose particular concern. PFAS are known as “forever chemicals” because their strong fluorine-carbon bonds make them extremely resistant to breaking down once emitted, meaning that the substances themselves, or by-products they break down into, are highly persistent in the environment. This bioaccumulation leads to potential health and environmental impacts, including toxicity for human health through increasing concentration in drinking water sources.
Recent analysis of arctic ice cores has detected increasing accumulation of several kinds of PFAS potentially linked to HFCs and HFOs, including trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), perfluoroproponic acid (PFPrA), and perfluorobutanoic acid (PFBA).20 HFO-1234yf in particular yields much higher levels of TFA by-product than its predecessors such as HFC-134a.21 HFO-1234yf is contained in the Opteon refrigerants being promoted by the Chemours-NHL partnership and is also being adopted as an alternative in automotive air conditioning, among other applications. Rising levels of TFA in rainwater have already been observed, leading to increasing concern that future adoption of HFO-1234yf and this newest generation of fluorinated refrigerants is a potential significant concern for future bioaccumulation and health impacts.22
Fluorinated refrigerants damage our climate and are potentially toxic to humans and ecosystems.
The Chemours Opteon refrigerants being marketed to ice rinks are XP10 (R-513A) and XP40 (R-449A). R-449A is a blend containing several HFCs: HFC-32, HFC-125, and HFC-134a, along with HFO-1234yf, while R-513A contains HFC-134a and HFO-1234yf.23 Marketing materials published by Chemours and the NHL characterize Opteon refrigerants as “low-GWP”, often without specifying their climate impacts in terms of actual GWP and emissions.24 Both of these Opteon refrigerants have climate impacts thousands of times as potent as carbon dioxide when measured over a twenty-year time horizon. The 100-year global warming potentials (GWPs) are 573 for R-513A and 1,282 for R-449A. It is more appropriate to account for HFCs in terms of their GWP over a twenty-year period, since they have short atmospheric lifetimes of between 13 to 29 years; R-513A has a 20-year GWP of 1,700 and R-449A of 3,100.25 The GWPs of other alternatives for ice rinks, ammonia and carbon dioxide are 0 and 1 respectively.
Ammonia is currently the most commonly used ice rink refrigerant. Thus widespread adoption of Opteon products with a GWP of up to 1282 would likely replace many existing ammonia systems with a GWP of zero.
Ammonia is currently the most commonly used ice rink refrigerant. Thus widespread adoption of Opteon products with a GWP of up to 1282 would likely replace many existing ammonia systems with a GWP of zero.
Area comparison graph of the 20-year GWP of Opteon versus refrigerant alternatives.
EIA uncovered the details of a multi-million dollar deal to promote super pollutants.
An EIA investigation has uncovered details behind a recent marketing partnership between the NHL and Chemours which aims to promote the use of Chemours’ newly patented HFC blend refrigerants, known under the trademarked brand of Opteon. Several conversations which took place in late 2020 and early 2021 between EIA investigators and senior representatives of the NHL and Chemours who have direct knowledge of the deal, reveal numerous details around the partnership. Most notably, the investigation confirms that the NHL agreed to receive around $2 million from Chemours to promote Opteon HFC chemicals as environmentally sustainable.
“The NHL is proud to partner with Chemours to support the game of hockey across North America with environmentally preferred refrigerant products. We will continue to educate the sports community at all levels about the importance of sustainability and low-GWP, energy efficient refrigerant solutions like OpteonTM.”
- Omar Mitchell
VP, Sustainable Infrastructure & Growth Initiatives, NHL
Quote from Chemours website in which an NHL sustainability representative refers to Opteon refrigerants, which have GWPs hundreds to thousands of times more than other alternatives, as “environmentally preferred” and “low-GWP”. The GWPs of Opteon refrigerants and fact that they contain HFCs is not disclosed.26
The NHL Green program was established in 2010 and the NHL has partnered with a number of companies and organizations on sustainability initiatives through the program.27 The NHL-Chemours marketing deal was launched in 2018 with the headline “OpteonTM Refrigerants to Support NHL Greener Rinks Initiative to Reduce Environmental Impacts Across All Levels of Hockey.”28 Here’s the catch: the Chemours Opteon refrigerants contain HFCs which have thousands of times the direct climate impact of other refrigerants currently widely used in ice rinks and other similar types of cooling systems.
In conversations with EIA investigators, Derek Ramsay, Senior Business Development Manager with Chemours and Jason Jazayeri, Senior Director of Integrated Solutions at the NHL, both with firsthand knowledge of and involvement in the deal, described the details. The conversations reveal intentions to leverage the NHL’s brand, relationships, and credibility to gain the trust of communities and refrigeration industry partners, with the goal of converting community ice rinks across North America to Chemours’ Opteon HFC refrigerants, including displacing zero-GWP ammonia.
Watch the full investigative video, or click here to read the key quotes. The following short video clips focus on key aspects of the deal that emerged in these conversations.
Our investigation confirms that the deal hinges on an undisclosed payment of approximately 2 million USD to the NHL by Chemours to promote its Opteon brand of refrigerants, seemingly by primarily targeting community ice rinks across North America.
The partnership is described as primarily a paid marketing deal, with Chemours paying NHL to leverage their association with the NHL and their brand. The agreement also grants Chemours exclusive rights to have Opteon be called the “official refrigerant of the NHL.”
Key NHL sustainability staff play a role in connecting Chemours with their network of NHL rinks and in public outreach in meetings, webinars, and other public forums to communities and industry.
Specific funding milestones in the contract are focused on achieving conversion of a certain number of community ice rinks to Opteon refrigerants. Special financing solutions are offered for converting to Opteon.
NHL staff help persuade NHL franchise teams to convert to Chemours R513A refrigerant, in order to provide examples to community rinks; mentioning installations by the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks. Derek Ramsay from Chemours also claims the NHL changed its official rink specifications so that R513A would fit within its guidelines.
As part of the deal, the NHL pays fees for an engineering consultant, Ian Storey, who apparently “acts as an advocate on behalf of Chemours”. To the public and potential clients, Ian’s company I.B. Storey Inc. is presented as an independent consultant and endorsed as the “official engineering consultant of the NHL” without disclosing any connection to Chemours. Storey is described as having previously worked with ammonia systems, but having “pivoted” to work with partners having more resources.
Chemours refrigerants are replacing ammonia systems, described in relation to the success of the partnership activities. Ammonia is acknowledged as the main competitor for Chemours products, but NHL representative Jason Jazayeri claims uncertainty with regard to which refrigerant is more environmentally sustainable.
The deal is described as helping Chemours gain trust and make inroads to expand its business beyond ice rinks, to industrial refrigeration where they can sell a lot more refrigerants, to a much larger cooling sector.
Chemours has decided to extend its marketing agreement with NHL for a longer time period. It is not known if additional payment to NHL above the original $2million is included in this extension.
Non-HFC refrigerants with zero direct emissions are widely used in ice rinks.
Ammonia, also known as R717, is the dominant refrigerant used in ice rinks and various types of industrial refrigeration systems. Many other types of cooling systems have relied heavily on HFCs and now need to phase down their use in order to comply with regulatory obligations aimed at curbing climate change. Supermarkets, for example, have widely introduced HFCs with a warming impact that is 4,000 times that of carbon dioxide.29 This widespread reliance on HFCs has not necessarily been true for all sectors, including ice rinks. Unlike many other cooling sectors, ice rinks have not yet widely adopted HFCs, although a significant portion still use their predecessors, HCFCs. It has been common for ice rinks to use a non-HFC refrigerant with no climate impact, ammonia, for many decades. Ammonia has a GWP of zero, with no direct warming effect when emitted into the atmosphere. In addition to ammonia, a number of companies also offer ice rink refrigeration systems using carbon dioxide with a GWP of 1, another non-HFC and near-zero climate impact option.
The Climate Pledge Arena, a non-HFC ice arena being constructed for new NHL team the Seattle Kraken to open in October 2021, will use zero-GWP ammonia refrigerant.
© Michael Dyrland
The Climate Pledge Arena, which just debuted in October 2021 for the newest NHL team, the Seattle Kraken, uses ammonia.
Some NHL arenas continue to use an older legacy HCFC-22 refrigerant, and two have recently installed Opteon HFC refrigerants. In the state of California, at least 80% of ice rinks use ammonia.31 Widespread demonstrated use of ammonia contributed to the state of California recently banning refrigerants with a GWP greater than 150, including Opteon R-513A and R-449A, from being used in new ice rinks.32Ice rink refrigeration systems primarily use chillers that cool water or a secondary coolant piped outward below the ice, and are similar to many industrial-type refrigeration systems. Industrial refrigeration is a much broader sector encompassing production, distribution, and cold storage facilities that mostly use ammonia refrigerant. Collectively these sectors use around 2% of all the ammonia produced globally each year, or about 3.5 million tonnes, as refrigerant.33 Adoption of any HFC in ice rinks or industrial cooling that replaces a more climate-friendly refrigerant represents a phase-up and not a phase-down of HFCs. It presents significant potential climate impacts in direct opposition to global initiatives to reduce HFC use and emissions.
Displacing non-HFCs with Opteon HFC blends could lead to billions of tonnes in additional emissions.
Increased adoption of HFC refrigerants in ice rinks and other refrigeration systems poses a serious concern for HFC emissions and resulting climate impacts. A large portion of ice rink refrigeration systems in North America are reaching the end of their life and are due for replacement. The NHL league and the sport of hockey overall experienced significant growth in the 1990s to early 2000s.34 Many new ice rinks built during this time period are now due for replacement, since these systems have lifetimes of about 20 to 30 years. There is risk of locking in significant HFC climate impacts for the next several decades if a significant portion of existing rinks are replaced with Opteon HFC blends.
The concerted marketing efforts and financing resources made available by the NHL-Chemours partnership have the potential to contribute to a rapid scale up of HFC-based refrigerants in ice rinks. The NHL and Chemours have reported that around 200 ice rinks have adopted Opteon refrigerants since 2018 during just the first few years of the partnership.35 R-513A has also been recently adopted in at least two NHL rinks following the launch of the partnership; the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have installed R-513A.36 In at least one case, a sizable financial award was given to a community ice rink, the Callumet Colloseum, that went toward upgrading its ice rink to an Opteon refrigerant.37 In the conversations with EIA investigators, Jason Jazayeri from NHL also described special financing options for rinks to adopt Opteon as part of the partnership.
The concerted marketing efforts and financing resources made available by the NHL-Chemours partnership have the potential to contribute to a rapid scale up of HFC-based refrigerants in ice rinks. The NHL and Chemours have reported that around 200 ice rinks have adopted Opteon refrigerants since 2018 during just the first few years of the partnership.35 R-513A has also been recently adopted in at least two NHL rinks following the launch of the partnership; the Colorado Avalanche and San Jose Sharks have installed R-513A.36 In at least one case, a sizable financial award was given to a community ice rink, the Callumet Colloseum, that went toward upgrading its ice rink to an Opteon refrigerant.37 In the conversations with EIA investigators, Jason Jazayeri from NHL also described special financing options for rinks to adopt Opteon as part of the partnership.
The messaging employed in the NHL-Chemours partnership and accompanying promotional materials also demonstrates a seeming intent to market HFCs as an environmentally sustainable option, including when replacing ammonia. I.B. Storey, the consulting company confirmed by EIA’s investigation as being paid fees by the NHL to promote Chemours, has published several “Sustainable Rink Case Studies” featuring community ice rinks replacing ammonia systems with R-513A.38
Both representatives of Chemours and consultant Ian Storey have been quoted in public messaging the sustainability of Opteon HFC blends in replacing ammonia systems.39
If all of North America’s community ice rinks install R-513A instead of ammonia, it would lead to additional HFC use and emissions of around 60 million metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent over the lifetime of those systems, the same as annual emissions of 15 coal-fired power plants or 13 million cars.40
The potential climate impact of HFCs seemingly being falsely advertised and adopted as “sustainable” alternatives goes far beyond ice rinks to include many other types of large cooling systems. Chemours representative Derek Ramsay described expanding Opteon refrigerant use into other industrial refrigeration sectors as a result of the NHL partnership, saying “now we’re kind of branching out with the NHL into industrial refrigeration, which is even bigger applications and sells more refrigerant.” Increased adoption of HFCs in industrial refrigeration sectors as a result of apparently misleading marketing tactics such as those used in the NHL-Chemours partnership could result in HFC use and emissions of a much greater scale. If R-513A replaced even a small fraction of the ammonia refrigerant use globally, around 15%, which is used largely in industrial refrigeration and cold food chain sectors, it would have significant impact on global HFC use and emissions. This would increase HFC use by around 300 million metric tons CO2 equivalent each year, roughly similar to the current HFC supply now consumed by the entire United States, and an amount equivalent to annual emissions of 75 coal-fired power plants.41 Over twenty years, this would amount to over 6 billion metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or annual emissions of around 1,500 coal-fired power plants.
The potential climate impact of HFCs seemingly being falsely advertised and adopted as “sustainable” alternatives goes far beyond ice rinks to include many other types of large cooling systems. Chemours representative Derek Ramsay described expanding Opteon refrigerant use into other industrial refrigeration sectors as a result of the NHL partnership, saying “now we’re kind of branching out with the NHL into industrial refrigeration, which is even bigger applications and sells more refrigerant.” Increased adoption of HFCs in industrial refrigeration sectors as a result of apparently misleading marketing tactics such as those used in the NHL-Chemours partnership could result in HFC use and emissions of a much greater scale. If R-513A replaced even a small fraction of the ammonia refrigerant use globally, around 15%, which is used largely in industrial refrigeration and cold food chain sectors, it would have significant impact on global HFC use and emissions. This would increase HFC use by around 300 million metric tons CO2 equivalent each year, roughly similar to the current HFC supply now consumed by the entire United States, and an amount equivalent to annual emissions of 75 coal-fired power plants.41 Over twenty years, this would amount to over 6 billion metric tonnes of CO2 equivalent, or annual emissions of around 1,500 coal-fired power plants.
The NHL’s online sustainability content changed after its agreement with Chemours.
The NHL Green’s current promotional web content related to refrigerants emphasizes the sustainability of Opteon and drawbacks of other refrigerants. Several webpages promote Opteon refrigerants and related content, and include materials that emphasize drawbacks of ammonia and CO2.42 The NHL websites refer to Opteon refrigerants as “sustainable refrigerant solutions”, “environmentally-preferred” “environmentally sustainable” and “low global warming potential” and compare the climate impact of Opteon with some of the highest-GWP HFCs that are not used in many ice rinks, including R-507, rather than the zero GWP alternative that has been widely used in ice rinks for decades, ammonia.43 The NHL’s online promotional content do not disclose that Opteon refrigerants contain HFCs. Where the specific GWPs are discussed, the content and environmental benefits reference the GWP of pure HFO-1234yf which is much lower than the GWPs of the HFC blended Opteon refrigerants being marketed to ice rinks by the partnership.44
This messaging contrasts drastically from content that appears to pre-date the partnership. The older content continues to highlight ammonia and CO2 as the most sustainable options overall, including an infographic of NHL’s Greener Rinks Initiative.47 Through its interactive graphic of green ice rink solutions, the website discusses ammonia saying it has “advantages that include a highly efficient refrigeration cycle, with low operating pressure and significantly lower potential for ozone depletion and global warming than synthetic HCFC and HFC refrigerants.”48 The NHL’s 2014 Sustainability Report, published prior to the agreement with Chemours, also prominently features ammonia and CO2 refrigerants as sustainable options to replace older HCFC systems widely used in NHL arenas, and does not mention Opteon products.49 There seems to be a drastic departure from the NHL’s earlier messaging around sustainability benefits of ammonia and CO2 before the partnership, compared with highlighting Opteon HFCs as the preferred “sustainable” solution following the deal with Chemours. The NHL website and promotional materials also fail to disclose or acknowledge the partnership as a paid marketing arrangement with the manufacturer of the chemicals.
EIA is calling on the NHL to stop promoting super pollutant HFCs and take meaningful climate action.
EIA’s investigation sheds light on the NHL-Chemours partnership, a business deal that uses the NHL’s influence and globally recognized brand to promote potent greenhouse gases as environmentally sustainable, despite widespread adoption of far more climate-friendly alternatives. The nature of the partnership, the large payment involved, and failure to publicly disclose it, all raise serious ethical concerns and undermine confidence in the credibility of the NHL Green program and, in particular, the guidance it provides communities regarding sustainability. In recent weeks, Chemours and NHL have officially announced a renewal of the partnership.
Communities and consumers deserve transparency about messaging related to paid marketing campaigns, especially when it comes to claims of environmental sustainability and climate impacts. Presenting Opteon HFC blends as green alternatives for ice rink cooling is highly misleading from a climate perspective. In spreading this seemingly false message, the NHL and Chemours are cheating our climate, and future generations of hockey players everywhere.
Communities and consumers deserve transparency about messaging related to paid marketing campaigns, especially when it comes to claims of environmental sustainability and climate impacts. Presenting Opteon HFC blends as green alternatives for ice rink cooling is highly misleading from a climate perspective. In spreading this seemingly false message, the NHL and Chemours are cheating our climate, and future generations of hockey players everywhere.
EIA calls on the NHL to:
1. Immediately stop all misinformation promoting HFC products as sustainable
1. Immediately stop all misinformation promoting HFC products as sustainable
2. Pledge to immediately stop using HFCs in new NHL ice rink refrigeration systems
2. Pledge to immediately stop using HFCs in new NHL ice rink refrigeration systems
3. Work with NHL franchises to develop and share a clear timeline to end reliance on super-pollutant HFCs in all existing NHL ice rinks
3. Work with NHL franchises to develop and share a clear timeline to end reliance on super-pollutant HFCs in all existing NHL ice rinks
4. Use their platform and resources to support expanded adoption of non-HFC cooling technologies across all ice hockey rinks around the world
4. Use their platform and resources to support expanded adoption of non-HFC cooling technologies across all ice hockey rinks around the world
EIA notified companies prior to publication of this report to allow for comments or response. See their responses.
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Endnotes
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1. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5C, see Chapter 2, at: https://www.ipcc.ch/sr15/
2. Corporate Watch, DuPont Company Profile (2005). https://corporatewatch.org/dupont-company-profile/
3. Molina & Rowland, Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate (1974): https://www.nature.com/articles/249810a0
4. Greenpeace Position Paper, Prepared for the 9th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (1997) https://courses.seas.harvard.edu/climate/eli/Courses/EPS281r/Sources/Ozone-hole/more/Greenpeace-on-DuPont.pdf
5. Doniger and Quibell, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Back from the Brink (2007): https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/ozone.pdf
6. US Environmental Protection Agency, Press Release, Government Ban on Fluorocarbon Gases in Aerosol Products Begins October 15 (1978). https://archive.epa.gov/epa/aboutepa/government-ban-fluorocarbon-gases-aerosol-products-begins-october-15-1978.html
7. New York Times, Behind DuPont’s Shift on Loss of Ozone Layer (1988). https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/26/business/behind-du-pont-s-shift-on-loss-of-ozone-layer.html
8. Lickley et al, Nature Communications, Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate (2020): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15162-7
9. Inside Climate News; Louisville’s Super-Polluting Chemical Plant Emits Not One, But Two Potent Greenhouse Gases (2021); https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05042021/chemours-lousiville-super-polluting-chemical-plant-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
10. Environmental Investigation Agency, Press Release, EIA Calls on Chemours to Immediately End Activities Causing HFC-23 Emissions (2021): https://eia-global.org/press-releases/20210308-chemours-hfc-23-pr
11. Louisville Business First, DuPont spinoff takes over Louisville operations, investing $6.5 million locally in upgrades. https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2015/09/30/dupont-spinoff-takes-over-louisville-operations.html
12. Chemours, Facts About Chemours Louisville HFC-23 Emissions: https://www.chemours.com/en/louisville-facility-hfc-23-emissions
13. Hansen, Christopher, Jyoti Campbell, and Scott Kable. "Photodissociation of CF3CHO provides a new source of CHF3 (HFC-23) in the atmosphere: implications for new refrigerants" (2021).
14. New York Times, How Chemical Companies Avoid Paying for Pollution (2021) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/business/chemours-dupont-pfas-genx-chemicals.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share
15. The Intercept, The Teflon Toxin: DuPont and the Chemistry of Deception (2015): https://theintercept.com/2015/08/11/dupont-chemistry-deception/ See also Union of Concerned Scientists, DuPont, 3M Concealed Evidence of PFAS Risks (2019): https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/dupont-3m-concealed-evidence-pfas-risks;
16. After spinning off Chemours and it’s PFAS related businesses, a DuPont statement said, “DuPont does not make PFOA, PFOS or GenX. Further, DuPont never manufactured or sold firefighting foam,” https://www.dupont.com/news/dupont-announces-new-and-sustained-commitments-related-to-pfas-chemicals.html DuPont has denied hiding PFAS risks from the public: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/how-dupont-may-avoid-paying-clean-toxic-forever-chemical-n1138766 DuPont reached a settlement with the EPA in 2006 after being accused of concealing its knowledge of PFOA's toxicity and presence in the environment, but has never admitted liability. https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/five-things-you-should-know-about-dupont-chemical-company
17. Chemours, Corporate Sustainability, Commitment to PFAS Stewardship, https://www.chemours.com/en/corporate-responsibility/sustainability-safety/our-commitment-to-pfas-stewardship
18. New York Times, How Chemical Companies Avoid Paying for Pollution (2021), https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/business/chemours-dupont-pfas-genx-chemicals.html
19. This definition is used by the OECD and European Union. See: https://echa.europa.eu/de/registry-of-restriction-intentions/-/dislist/details/0b0236e18663449b
20. Chemical & Engineering News, CFC replacements are a source of persistent organic pollution in the Arctic (2020) https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/CFC-replacements-source-persistent-organic/98/web/2020/05
21. Holland, Rayne, et al. "Investigation of the Production of Trifluoroacetic Acid from Two Halocarbons, HFC-134a and HFO-1234yf and Its Fates Using a Global Three-Dimensional Chemical Transport Model." ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 5.4 (2021)
22. German Environment Agency (UBA), Trifluoroacetate in Precipitation: Deriving a Benchmark Data Set (2021): https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c02910
23. ASHRAE Fact Sheet, Update on New Refrigerants Designations and Safety Classifications (2020): https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/refrigeration/factsheet_ashrae_english_20200424.pdf
24. See: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better See also https://www.opteon.com/en/industries-applications/refrigeration/chillers/nhl-partnership See also https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/opteon-refrigerants-changing-the-game-nhl-partnership.pdf
25. 100-yr GWP of R-513A of 573 and 1282 used by Chemours are based on IPCC Assessment Report 5. For 100-yr GWPs of 600 and 1400 respectively and 20-yr GWPs used in this report, see: UNEP, 2018 Technical Options Committee Report, https://r744.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/ATMO_future_green_V.1.1_final.pdf; See also R744.com, fact sheet: https://r744.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/ATMO_future_green_V.1.1_final.pdf
26. Content from Opteon, Learn How Opteon Refrigerants are Changing the Game, at: https://www.opteon.com/en/industries-applications/refrigeration/chillers/nhl-partnership
27. The National Hockey League, “Green Through the Years”, at https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green
28. Chemours, Press Release, NHL Partners With The Chemours Company to Provide Sustainable Solutions To Community Rinks Across North America (2018): https://investors.chemours.com/news-releases/news-releases-details/2018/NHL-Partners-With-The-Chemours-Company-to-Provide-Sustainable-Solutions-To-Community-Rinks-Across-North-America/default.aspx
29. Environmental Investigation Agency, www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org
30. EIA correspondence with ice rink industry experts.
31. California Air Resources Board, Proposed HFC Regulation, Initial Statement of Reasons, (2020), at: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2020/hfc2020
32. Ibid, see also Resolution 20-37 at: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2020/hfc2020
33. Around 2% of ammonia produced globally is used as a refrigerant (ASHRAE, Position Document on Ammonia as a Refrigerant (2017): https://web.archive.org/web/20200802071210/https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/About/Position%20Documents/Ammonia-as-a-Refrigerant-PD-2017.pdf and 170 million metric tons annual production of ammonia, based on US Geological Survey as cited by Trevor Brown, Ammonia production causes 1% of total global GHG emissions (2016), at https://ammoniaindustry.com/ammonia-production-causes-1-percent-of-total-global-ghg-emissions/
34. The United States of Hockey, Raw Numbers: Hockey’s Growth in the United States – 1990-2010 (2011), at: https://unitedstatesofhockey.com/2011/05/23/raw-numbers-hockeys-growth-in-the-united-states-1990-2009/
35. NHL Press Release, NHL, Chemours Renew Partnership on Sustainable Solutions for Hockey Rinks (2021) https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-renew-partnership-on-sustainable-solutions-for-hockey-rinks/c-326599746
36. Chemours Company, Press Release, The Chemours Company Successfully Installs Opteon™ Refrigerant at Pepsi Center, Home of the Colorado Avalanche (2020) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-chemours-company-successfully-installs-opteon-refrigerant-at-pepsi-center-home-of-the-colorado-avalanche-300997233.html See also: San Jose Sharks Successfully Install Opteon™ Refrigerant in New Ice Refrigeration Systems at SAP Center at San Jose (2021): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/san-jose-sharks-successfully-install-opteon-refrigerant-in-new-ice-refrigeration-systems-at-sap-center-at-san-jose-301279891.html
37. 2019 Kraft Hockeyville USA features Blues, Red Wings: https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/09/26/watch-live-2019-kraft-hockeyville-usa-features-blues-red-wings/ See also: https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-continue-to-promote-sustainable-rink-solutions/c-316686770
38. I.B. Storey Inc, Sustainable Rink Case Study, O’Leary Community Sports Center, at https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/case-studies/oleary-community-centre-case-studyapproved-for-releaseib-storey.pdf?rev=533255ea21f84d57ae2b23a259342d3e See also: I.B. Storey Inc, Case Study: Markham Village, at https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/case-studies/markham-village-case-studyi-b-storey.pdf?rev=941aa55efe8141968bb863fc88ef765a
39. Municipal World, https://www.municipalworld.com/podcasts/rink-sustainability/ See also https://refindustry.com/articles/interview/experience-of-using-r513a-refrigerant-at-3-ice-arenas-in-canada/
40. EIA calculation based on 4,800 community ice rinks in North America. Each ice rink system assumed to use 7000Kg refrigerant and leak 10% annually as per Natural Resources Canada, “Comparative Study of Refrigeration Systems for Ice Rinks” (2013). See table Table 19 for 10% leak rate. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/comparative-study-arenas_EN.
41. EIA calculation using 600 GWP, similar to R-513a, the refrigerant promoted by the Chemours-NHL agreement replacing 15% of ammonia refrigerant used globally, or about 3.5 million tonnes. Supply of HFCs to US market as reported by USEPA, at https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/fluorinated-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-supplies-reported-ghgrp#supplies Greenhouse gas equivalency to coal-fired power plants is based on EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
42. See: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better See also: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green See also NHL Press Release: Chemours Receives ACC Sustainability Leadership Award, https://www.nhl.com/news/chemours-receives-acc-sustainability-leadership-award/c-307699568 See also NHL Press Release; NHL, Chemours renew partnership on sustainable solutions for hockey rinks https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-renew-partnership-on-sustainable-solutions-for-hockey-rinks/c-326599746
43. Ibid.
44. NHL Press Release, Chemours Receives ACC Sustainability Leadership Award, https://www.nhl.com/news/chemours-receives-acc-sustainability-leadership-award/c-307699568
45. Screenshot captured from NHL website: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better
46. Screenshot captured from NHL website by clicking on the thermometer icon and then “See the Solution”: https://greenerrinks.nhl.com/desktop/index.html?page=2
47. See, NHL Greener Rinks Initiative, “Inside the Rink”, Click Thermometer Icon, Refrigeration Systems: https://greenerrinks.nhl.com/desktop/index.html?page=2
48. Ibid.
49. NHL, 2014 Sustainability Report, at http://ice.nhl.com/green/report/#environmentalImpact
2. Corporate Watch, DuPont Company Profile (2005). https://corporatewatch.org/dupont-company-profile/
3. Molina & Rowland, Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate (1974): https://www.nature.com/articles/249810a0
4. Greenpeace Position Paper, Prepared for the 9th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol (1997) https://courses.seas.harvard.edu/climate/eli/Courses/EPS281r/Sources/Ozone-hole/more/Greenpeace-on-DuPont.pdf
5. Doniger and Quibell, Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Back from the Brink (2007): https://www.nrdc.org/sites/default/files/ozone.pdf
6. US Environmental Protection Agency, Press Release, Government Ban on Fluorocarbon Gases in Aerosol Products Begins October 15 (1978). https://archive.epa.gov/epa/aboutepa/government-ban-fluorocarbon-gases-aerosol-products-begins-october-15-1978.html
7. New York Times, Behind DuPont’s Shift on Loss of Ozone Layer (1988). https://www.nytimes.com/1988/03/26/business/behind-du-pont-s-shift-on-loss-of-ozone-layer.html
8. Lickley et al, Nature Communications, Quantifying contributions of chlorofluorocarbon banks to emissions and impacts on the ozone layer and climate (2020): https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-020-15162-7
9. Inside Climate News; Louisville’s Super-Polluting Chemical Plant Emits Not One, But Two Potent Greenhouse Gases (2021); https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05042021/chemours-lousiville-super-polluting-chemical-plant-greenhouse-gas-emissions/
10. Environmental Investigation Agency, Press Release, EIA Calls on Chemours to Immediately End Activities Causing HFC-23 Emissions (2021): https://eia-global.org/press-releases/20210308-chemours-hfc-23-pr
11. Louisville Business First, DuPont spinoff takes over Louisville operations, investing $6.5 million locally in upgrades. https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/news/2015/09/30/dupont-spinoff-takes-over-louisville-operations.html
12. Chemours, Facts About Chemours Louisville HFC-23 Emissions: https://www.chemours.com/en/louisville-facility-hfc-23-emissions
13. Hansen, Christopher, Jyoti Campbell, and Scott Kable. "Photodissociation of CF3CHO provides a new source of CHF3 (HFC-23) in the atmosphere: implications for new refrigerants" (2021).
14. New York Times, How Chemical Companies Avoid Paying for Pollution (2021) https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/business/chemours-dupont-pfas-genx-chemicals.html?partner=slack&smid=sl-share
15. The Intercept, The Teflon Toxin: DuPont and the Chemistry of Deception (2015): https://theintercept.com/2015/08/11/dupont-chemistry-deception/ See also Union of Concerned Scientists, DuPont, 3M Concealed Evidence of PFAS Risks (2019): https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/dupont-3m-concealed-evidence-pfas-risks;
16. After spinning off Chemours and it’s PFAS related businesses, a DuPont statement said, “DuPont does not make PFOA, PFOS or GenX. Further, DuPont never manufactured or sold firefighting foam,” https://www.dupont.com/news/dupont-announces-new-and-sustained-commitments-related-to-pfas-chemicals.html DuPont has denied hiding PFAS risks from the public: https://www.nbcnews.com/health/cancer/how-dupont-may-avoid-paying-clean-toxic-forever-chemical-n1138766 DuPont reached a settlement with the EPA in 2006 after being accused of concealing its knowledge of PFOA's toxicity and presence in the environment, but has never admitted liability. https://uspirg.org/blogs/blog/usp/five-things-you-should-know-about-dupont-chemical-company
17. Chemours, Corporate Sustainability, Commitment to PFAS Stewardship, https://www.chemours.com/en/corporate-responsibility/sustainability-safety/our-commitment-to-pfas-stewardship
18. New York Times, How Chemical Companies Avoid Paying for Pollution (2021), https://www.nytimes.com/2021/10/20/business/chemours-dupont-pfas-genx-chemicals.html
19. This definition is used by the OECD and European Union. See: https://echa.europa.eu/de/registry-of-restriction-intentions/-/dislist/details/0b0236e18663449b
20. Chemical & Engineering News, CFC replacements are a source of persistent organic pollution in the Arctic (2020) https://cen.acs.org/environment/persistent-pollutants/CFC-replacements-source-persistent-organic/98/web/2020/05
21. Holland, Rayne, et al. "Investigation of the Production of Trifluoroacetic Acid from Two Halocarbons, HFC-134a and HFO-1234yf and Its Fates Using a Global Three-Dimensional Chemical Transport Model." ACS Earth and Space Chemistry 5.4 (2021)
22. German Environment Agency (UBA), Trifluoroacetate in Precipitation: Deriving a Benchmark Data Set (2021): https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.est.0c02910
23. ASHRAE Fact Sheet, Update on New Refrigerants Designations and Safety Classifications (2020): https://www.ashrae.org/file%20library/technical%20resources/refrigeration/factsheet_ashrae_english_20200424.pdf
24. See: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better See also https://www.opteon.com/en/industries-applications/refrigeration/chillers/nhl-partnership See also https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/opteon-refrigerants-changing-the-game-nhl-partnership.pdf
25. 100-yr GWP of R-513A of 573 and 1282 used by Chemours are based on IPCC Assessment Report 5. For 100-yr GWPs of 600 and 1400 respectively and 20-yr GWPs used in this report, see: UNEP, 2018 Technical Options Committee Report, https://r744.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/ATMO_future_green_V.1.1_final.pdf; See also R744.com, fact sheet: https://r744.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2021/06/ATMO_future_green_V.1.1_final.pdf
26. Content from Opteon, Learn How Opteon Refrigerants are Changing the Game, at: https://www.opteon.com/en/industries-applications/refrigeration/chillers/nhl-partnership
27. The National Hockey League, “Green Through the Years”, at https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green
28. Chemours, Press Release, NHL Partners With The Chemours Company to Provide Sustainable Solutions To Community Rinks Across North America (2018): https://investors.chemours.com/news-releases/news-releases-details/2018/NHL-Partners-With-The-Chemours-Company-to-Provide-Sustainable-Solutions-To-Community-Rinks-Across-North-America/default.aspx
29. Environmental Investigation Agency, www.climatefriendlysupermarkets.org
30. EIA correspondence with ice rink industry experts.
31. California Air Resources Board, Proposed HFC Regulation, Initial Statement of Reasons, (2020), at: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2020/hfc2020
32. Ibid, see also Resolution 20-37 at: https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/rulemaking/2020/hfc2020
33. Around 2% of ammonia produced globally is used as a refrigerant (ASHRAE, Position Document on Ammonia as a Refrigerant (2017): https://web.archive.org/web/20200802071210/https://www.ashrae.org/File%20Library/About/Position%20Documents/Ammonia-as-a-Refrigerant-PD-2017.pdf and 170 million metric tons annual production of ammonia, based on US Geological Survey as cited by Trevor Brown, Ammonia production causes 1% of total global GHG emissions (2016), at https://ammoniaindustry.com/ammonia-production-causes-1-percent-of-total-global-ghg-emissions/
34. The United States of Hockey, Raw Numbers: Hockey’s Growth in the United States – 1990-2010 (2011), at: https://unitedstatesofhockey.com/2011/05/23/raw-numbers-hockeys-growth-in-the-united-states-1990-2009/
35. NHL Press Release, NHL, Chemours Renew Partnership on Sustainable Solutions for Hockey Rinks (2021) https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-renew-partnership-on-sustainable-solutions-for-hockey-rinks/c-326599746
36. Chemours Company, Press Release, The Chemours Company Successfully Installs Opteon™ Refrigerant at Pepsi Center, Home of the Colorado Avalanche (2020) https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/the-chemours-company-successfully-installs-opteon-refrigerant-at-pepsi-center-home-of-the-colorado-avalanche-300997233.html See also: San Jose Sharks Successfully Install Opteon™ Refrigerant in New Ice Refrigeration Systems at SAP Center at San Jose (2021): https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/san-jose-sharks-successfully-install-opteon-refrigerant-in-new-ice-refrigeration-systems-at-sap-center-at-san-jose-301279891.html
37. 2019 Kraft Hockeyville USA features Blues, Red Wings: https://nhl.nbcsports.com/2019/09/26/watch-live-2019-kraft-hockeyville-usa-features-blues-red-wings/ See also: https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-continue-to-promote-sustainable-rink-solutions/c-316686770
38. I.B. Storey Inc, Sustainable Rink Case Study, O’Leary Community Sports Center, at https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/case-studies/oleary-community-centre-case-studyapproved-for-releaseib-storey.pdf?rev=533255ea21f84d57ae2b23a259342d3e See also: I.B. Storey Inc, Case Study: Markham Village, at https://www.opteon.com/en/-/media/files/opteon/case-studies/markham-village-case-studyi-b-storey.pdf?rev=941aa55efe8141968bb863fc88ef765a
39. Municipal World, https://www.municipalworld.com/podcasts/rink-sustainability/ See also https://refindustry.com/articles/interview/experience-of-using-r513a-refrigerant-at-3-ice-arenas-in-canada/
40. EIA calculation based on 4,800 community ice rinks in North America. Each ice rink system assumed to use 7000Kg refrigerant and leak 10% annually as per Natural Resources Canada, “Comparative Study of Refrigeration Systems for Ice Rinks” (2013). See table Table 19 for 10% leak rate. https://www.nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/comparative-study-arenas_EN.
41. EIA calculation using 600 GWP, similar to R-513a, the refrigerant promoted by the Chemours-NHL agreement replacing 15% of ammonia refrigerant used globally, or about 3.5 million tonnes. Supply of HFCs to US market as reported by USEPA, at https://www.epa.gov/ghgreporting/fluorinated-greenhouse-gas-emissions-and-supplies-reported-ghgrp#supplies Greenhouse gas equivalency to coal-fired power plants is based on EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator: https://www.epa.gov/energy/greenhouse-gas-equivalencies-calculator
42. See: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better See also: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green See also NHL Press Release: Chemours Receives ACC Sustainability Leadership Award, https://www.nhl.com/news/chemours-receives-acc-sustainability-leadership-award/c-307699568 See also NHL Press Release; NHL, Chemours renew partnership on sustainable solutions for hockey rinks https://www.nhl.com/news/nhl-chemours-renew-partnership-on-sustainable-solutions-for-hockey-rinks/c-326599746
43. Ibid.
44. NHL Press Release, Chemours Receives ACC Sustainability Leadership Award, https://www.nhl.com/news/chemours-receives-acc-sustainability-leadership-award/c-307699568
45. Screenshot captured from NHL website: https://www.nhl.com/info/nhl-green/opt-for-better
46. Screenshot captured from NHL website by clicking on the thermometer icon and then “See the Solution”: https://greenerrinks.nhl.com/desktop/index.html?page=2
47. See, NHL Greener Rinks Initiative, “Inside the Rink”, Click Thermometer Icon, Refrigeration Systems: https://greenerrinks.nhl.com/desktop/index.html?page=2
48. Ibid.
49. NHL, 2014 Sustainability Report, at http://ice.nhl.com/green/report/#environmentalImpact