Pleasanton-based grocery giant Safeway has agreed to pay $600,000 to settle charges that the company is violating the federal Clean Air Act. Officials with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced Wednesday that the supermarket chain will significantly reduce emissions from its refrigeration equipment -- emissions that deplete the ozone layer.
The government says Safeway violated the nation's clean air laws by not promptly fixing leaks of HCFC-22 -- a heat-trapping gas that contributes to climate change -- from its refrigerators. The government says Safeway also failed to keep proper maintenance records.
KQED's Mina Kim discusses the settlement with EPA regional administrator Jared Blumenfeld.
Safeway also agreed to reduce its companywide average leak rate from 25 percent to 18 percent or below by 2015.