The Environmental Protection Agency acknowledged Giant Eagle Inc. and Harris Teeter Inc. for cutting their carbon emissions below the grocery industry standard.

The two grocers are part of a charter group that joined the EPA's GreenChill Advanced Refrigeration Partnership when it launched in November, 2007. The partnership focuses on bringing its members' emissions to significantly below industry standard. Giant Eagle and Harris Teeter are the most successful of the 30 members of the partnership. According to the EPA, the companies participating in the partnership have achieved emissions rates that are almost 50 percent below the agency's standard.

"EPA congratulates Giant Eagle and Harris Teeter for leading the field with exemplary emissions prevention and maintenance systems," said Robert J. Meyers, EPA's principal deputy assistant administrator for Air and Radiation. 

In the same announcement, the EPA recognized eight companies that joined the GreenChill Partnership this week: Price Chopper Supermarkets, Supervalu Inc., Weis Markets Inc., Hussmann Corp., Zero Zone Inc., Arkema Inc., Dow Chemical Co. and Ineos Fluor Americas.

Giant Eagle operates in Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia and Maryland. Harris Teeter operates in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, Georgia, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Delaware, and the District of Columbia.

Image — EPA