Food-Service-Manual-for-Health-Care-Institutions

Food Service Manual for Health Care Institutions
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Clean Air Legislation
The first Clean Air Act (Public Law 88–206), passed in 1963, established a national program to
control community air pollution. Subsequent legislation has included the Air Quality Act of 1967,
which identified geographical areas with significant problems and designated air quality control
regions, and the 1970, 1977, and most recently, 1990 amendments to the Clean Air Act to
improve the quality of the air we breathe. The goal of the 1990 amendments is to remove twothirds
of U.S. air pollutants by 2005. The act also contains regulations that will directly affect
food service operations, in that it contains mandates affecting the production and use of chlorofluorocarbons
(CFCs) and hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs). These gases are commonly used
as refrigerants in air conditioners, dehumidifiers, freezers, and refrigerators. They cause little
harm when contained in appliances, but scientists fear that they may contribute to the growing
depletion of the earth’s ozone layer when released in the atmosphere. In an effort to control the
release of refrigerated gases, section 608 of the Clean Air Act addresses the problem of recycling
gases contained in home appliances such as freezers, refrigerators, and air-conditioning units. This
section was implemented in 1992. The law prohibits anyone from “knowingly venting ozone
depleting compounds used in refrigerators into the atmosphere while servicing, repairing, or disposing
of air conditioners or refrigeration equipment.” Violators can be fined up to $25,000 a
day for noncompliance. The control provisions of the act are to be superseded by those of an
amended Montreal Protocol (which lists ozone-depleting substances to be phased out) wherever
the protocol is more restrictive. Studies indicate that some of the new substances, which are being
used as replacements for the banned ones, may have the potential to change the ozone layer.
Under the Montreal Protocol, ninety-six damaging chemicals have been banned and are being
phased out. HCFCs will be fully phased out by 2030, and CFC12 was banned in 1996.
An increased cost of coolants, investment in recovery systems, service contracts, and
replacement of older refrigerators will affect food service budgets. When selecting new refrigeration
equipment, food service directors must determine the type of refrigerant used, its efficiency,
and the expected date it is scheduled to be phased out. Maintenance of refrigeration
equipment will become more critical as refrigerant replacement cost increases. Stricter emission
standards for selected pieces of production equipment (such as charbroilers and fryers) have
already been adopted in metropolitan areas that fail to meet EPA’s air quality standards. When
renovating production areas, it is important to check with the state and local air quality office
to identify specific regulations that would dictate the type and quality of emissions allowed
from an operation.
An alternative fuel such as biodiesel is a cleaner-burning, natural, renewable diesel fuel
alternative. This alternative fuel is 20 percent biodiesel, made from soy oil or recycled cooking
oil, combined with 80 percent regular petroleum diesel. This mix has been proved by the
EPA to lower emissions of unburned hydrocarbons, carbon monoxide, sulfates, and other particulate
matters that reduce air quality and harm the environment. According to a recent study
commissioned by the EPA, B20 biodiesel has been shown to reduce emissions of unburned
hydrocarbons by 20 to 30 percent, carbon monoxide by 12 to 20 percent, and particulate
matter by 12 to 22 percent compared with petroleum-based diesel. In addition to being
cleaner burning, these alternative fuels are nontoxic, biodegradable, and can be produced
domestically. This lowers the U.S. dependence on foreign imports. Even though biodiesel is
slightly more expensive than regular petroleum-based diesel fuel, the benefits of its use outweigh
the cost.
Tips to Save on Fuel Costs
The food service manager should develop a schedule that is followed and carefully monitored
for maintenance and cleaning of equipment, which can reduce overall fuel cost. The food service
manager should work with the facility engineer to develop an ongoing maintenance plan.
Hoods and ventilation systems need to be cleaned as directed by the manufacturer(s). The