MILL VALLEY, Calif.—The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC), a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants in supermarkets, announced that Leer, Inc., a temperature-controlled storage solutions manufacturer, is supporting the organization as a Silver member.
“Leer’s investment in a NASRC membership underscores its unwavering commitment to environmental responsibility and the advancement of natural refrigerants,” says Danielle Wright, executive director of NASRC. “We’re excited to partner with them and look forward to collaborating in our work to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets.”
Based in Wisconsin, Leer is an expert in commercial and industrial refrigeration. A leader in advancing climate-friendly propane (R-290) refrigeration systems, the company recently published a whitepaper comparing the performance of R-290 to R-404A (a hydrofluorocarbon blend). The study evaluated discharge temperature, discharge pressure, Coefficient of Performance, and overall power consumption and found that across the board, R-290 performed better than R-404A.
“This membership takes our sustainability commitment to the next level, and we look forward to collaborating and exchanging ideas to promote climate-friendly refrigeration practices,” said Ben Albregts, President of Leer. “We are proud to align ourselves with NASRC, working together to shape the future of sustainable refrigeration in North America.”
Hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants (HFCs) are super-polluting greenhouse gases that trap heat in the atmosphere at a rate thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide (CO2). Although regulations seeking to reduce HFC use in the US have lagged behind the rest of the world, 2022 marked the start of new federal and state rules that are helping drive the transition from these legacy refrigerants.
Natural refrigerants like propane, CO2, and ammonia have zero or near-zero global warming potential, making them climate-friendly and future-proof natural alternatives to HFCs. However, unique market challenges—such as upfront cost premiums, service readiness, and technology availability—have prevented US supermarkets from widescale adoption of natural refrigerants.
By working with Leer and other stakeholders from virtually every sector of the grocery refrigeration industry, NASRC is leading efforts to accelerate the transition to natural refrigerants as a solution to these increases in regulatory pressures.
About the North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council
The North American Sustainable Refrigeration Council (NASRC) is a 501(c)(3) environmental nonprofit working to advance climate-friendly natural refrigerants and reduce greenhouse gas emissions caused by traditional HFC refrigerants. We collaborate with stakeholders from across the industry, including over 55,000 food retail locations, to eliminate the barriers to natural refrigerants in supermarkets. For more information, visit nasrc.org, LinkedIn, X, Instagram and YouTube.
About Leer, Inc.
Through decades of commitment to product development, customer service and a relentless focus on American-made manufacturing excellence, Leer has continued to shape and drive innovation in the temperature-controlled storage industry. We’re dedicated to the success of all our customers – be that customers of our iconic white Ice Merchandisers, Ice Vending Machines, Refrigerated Transports, Reach-In Storage Freezers, or our custom-built Walk-In Coolers & Freezers.