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Clive Efford (Lab, Eltham) moved that leave be given to bring in a Bill for limiting the use of Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) in refrigeration units used by large supermarkets.
He commented that HFCs were "3,800 times more harmful than carbon dioxide." and most supermarkets had not made very good progress in phasing out the use of HFCs in refrigeration.
He commented that supermarkets had not come very far in becoming less dependent on HFCs.
"Only 2 per cent of the major stores in the UK are running HFC-free refrigeration systems-only 46 are now HFC-free compared with 14 last year."
Lembit Öpik (LD, Montgomeryshire) commented that legislation would force supermarkets to comply to phasing out HFC used in refrigeration units.
Let us see whether this ten-minute rule Bill causes the supermarkets to act and to make a commitment to act in the next few days. If they do not, not only will I be disappointed by the claimed intentions of supermarkets not being followed up with action, but I will also feel that the prognosis for the environment as a whole is grim indeed.
The question was put and agreed to.
Clive Efford accordingly presented the Bill.
Progress
House of Commons
1st reading: 9 March 2010
This Bill has not been printed and will make no further progress.
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