Olympic ice rinks put spotlight on potent greenhouse gases

By CANDICE CHOI
Associated Press

BEIJING (AP) — The ice rinks hosting the figure skating and speedskating competitions at the Beijing Olympics will also be putting a major environmental problem on the world stage – the greenhouse gases often used in refrigerators, air conditioners and other cooling systems. Four newly built rinks at the Games will use carbon dioxide cooling systems with far less of an impact on global warming than the artificial refrigerants used in such appliances. Though other rinks in Beijing will still use such refrigerants. The use of artificial refrigerants globally is expected to become a growing problem as developing countries get richer and use more cooling appliances.