We all know that meals waste is unhealthy information for each enterprise income and the surroundings. Meals producers, suppliers and retailers are subsequently eager to search out options that may stop meals from changing into waste. There are numerous strategies, together with composting; investing in good packaging; using waste administration companies; and making certain logistics and equipment function at most effectivity.
Refrigeration and insulation expertise is one other space, however the place a steadiness act is required. Whereas inefficient chilly chains can result in meals waste, refrigerant gases similar to hydrofluorocarbons utilized in chilly chains are accountable for excessive greenhouse gasoline emissions.
The excellent news is that low-global warming potential (GWP) hydrofluoroolefins (HFOs) which function at decrease pressures than carbon dioxide methods are changing high-GWP hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants.
“In response to the United Nations, roughly 14 % of meals manufacturing is misplaced between harvest and retail, whereas 17 % is wasted general. There are refrigeration and insulation applied sciences accessible in the present day which can be dependable and can assist stop this,” stated Lee Hermitage, Technique & Advertising and marketing Director, EMEA, Honeywell Superior Supplies.
Honeywell predicted the rising want for lower-GWP options to fight local weather change over a decade in the past, he claimed. It has since invested multiple billion {dollars} in analysis, growth and new capability for its HFO expertise, offered below the model identify Solstice.
These merchandise can assist to scale back carbon footprint and maximise vitality effectivity throughout the meals chilly chain with out compromising end-product efficiency and security, the corporate claimed.
“The transition to low-GWP HFOs will assist higher help functioning all through the chilly chain, making certain a protected provide of contemporary and frozen meals, which is able to assist to restrict meals loss and waste for shoppers worldwide,” Hermitage instructed us.
“Within the occasion of a failure, decrease stress methods would leak extra slowly. Albeit at a decrease efficiency, the system can proceed to be operated till the leak is repaired, so many of the meals could be stored refrigerated with decreased meals waste.
“Moreover, educated technicians are extra accessible for HFO methods, which signifies that upkeep and repairs could be carried out extra shortly, once more lowering meals waste. That is particularly the case in excessive warmth circumstances as seen within the latest Southern Europe warmth wave the place failure charges on CO2 methods can improve considerably.”
Honeywell’s HFO supplies have numerous purposes. For instance, Abu Dhabi-based agritech firm Pure Harvest – which is hydroponically rising crops in desert environments within the UAE, Saudi Arabia and in Kuwait – is utilizing a Honeywell HFO refrigerant to manage the surroundings and cut back carbon emissions in its greenhouses. The product has a GWP of lower than obe, which is 99% beneath the GWP of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants it’s designed to switch, the corporate claimed.
Honeywell additionally not too long ago struck a cope with the French retailer E.Leclerc in Moissac, which is utilizing an HFO refrigerant as a ‘long-term, future-proof resolution’ for it chilly room storage.
“Subsequent-generation refrigerants will assist advance E.Leclerc in Moissac’s environmental transformations and cut back its vitality payments with out sacrificing efficiency,” Honeywell declared.
Using insulation expertise to allow local weather managed transport
Honeywell’s insulated panels and board-stocks, in the meantime, are being utilized in in refrigerated containers or in refrigerated vehicles throughout the transport stage to maintain cargo contemporary or frozen utilizing much less vitality. The corporate claims refrigerated containers, utilized by the likes of Dutch container manufacturing specialist Unit45 and insulated with polyurethane foam formulated with an HFO refrigerant have decreased environmental influence.
“HFOs play a important position alongside the whole meals chilly chain,” stated Hermitage. “To date, use of Honeywell Solstice expertise has helped keep away from the potential launch of the equal of greater than 326 million metric tons of carbon dioxide into the environment, equal to the carbon emissions from practically 70 million gasoline-powered passenger automobiles per 12 months.”
The problem of plastic waste
Honeywell has additionally developed what it known as superior plastics recycling expertise, which it claimed can improve by thrice the quantity of plastics that may be recycled.
The brand new expertise, it stated, can cut back the necessity for fossil fuels within the creation of virgin plastics whereas enabling a whole bunch of cycles of recycling, with the objective of enabling a round financial system for plastics.
“Honeywell’s UpCycle Course of Expertise is an modern recycling resolution that expands the sorts of plastics that may be transformed into recycled polymer feedstock (RPF),” defined Marc Yagoub, International Enterprise Director, Plastics Circularity for Honeywell UOP.
Which means that current infrastructures can grow to be closed-loop methods, lowering plastic waste whereas nonetheless assembly calls for for virgin high quality plastic that may be produced by RPF.
“The UpCycle course of additionally signifies that plastic waste doesn’t find yourself in landfill or incineration and the quantity of fossil fuel-based feedstock used within the manufacturing of plastics is considerably decreased. When the Honeywell UpCycle Course of Expertise processes waste plastic into round plastic feedstock, it could actually obtain an 80% discount in carbon emissions if the plant is equipped with 100% renewable electrical energy.”
The that solely round 9% of plastic is correctly recycled worldwide, emphasises the necessity for a closed-loop system for plastic manufacture, he pressured.
“When used at the side of different chemical and mechanical recycling processes – together with enhancements to assortment and sorting – Honeywell’s UpCycle Course of Expertise has the potential to assist recycle practically 90% of waste plastics. This may characterize a substantial improve within the quantity of waste plastics that may be become polymer feedstock. This emphasizes the dear and essential work that may be achieved via modern strikes towards the round financial system.”
