Coca-Cola is building on the HFC-free coolers and vending machines they’ve provided for the past several Olympics, as well as the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing. Coca-Cola is providing 6,300 HFC-coolers in Beijing and is planning to have 100,000 of the machines in operation around the world by 2010.

Coca-Cola has spent approximately $40 million on developing cooling technology that does not rely on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). Their latest generation of vending machines and coolers use compressed carbon dioxide to cool beverages. Currently Coca-Cola has about 10 million vending machines and coolers worldwide. The company has estimated the emissions from these machines at three times that of their manufacturing facilities and more than five times the emissions from their delivery fleet. Replacing HFC machines with cleaner technology is their priority and rightly so — after all, the newer machines are expected to drop emissions by 75 percent.

For new sales, Coca-Cola will be offering the HFC-free machines. Replacing older models, however, could be difficult — especially since many vending machines are actually operated by independent owners. Despite the difficulties of making a complete changeover, however, the new vending machines will make a significant difference.

Photo — Space Potato