Environmental watchdog accuses NHL of exploiting its 'green sustainability' program

An environmental watchdog group is accusing the National Hockey League of using its new sustainability program to "promote super-pollutants."

According to a report from the Environmental Investigation Agency, the program known as "NHL Green" is falsely marketing products used to create ice on hockey rinks as environmentally friendly.

"The NHL accepted money from Chemours to spread dangerous climate misinformation," said Alexander von Bismarck, EIA Executive Director. "It's surprising to us that the NHL, which advertises its "green" credentials, would want to use its brand to promote super greenhouse gases as environmentally sustainable during a climate emergency. NHL fans, and all of us, deserve better." 

Chemours is a chemical manufacturing company that produces the refrigerant Opteon, which is used by the NHL. 

According to The Hill, environmental activists argue that Opteon utilizes a chemical known as "hydrofluorocarbons" which allegedly contribute more to global warming than other chemicals.

The NHL has a partnership with Chemours to promote the use of Opteon as a refrigerant.

"The N.H.L.-Chemours partnership poses serious ethical concerns by disseminating a dangerously misleading message that it is sustainable to choose a potent greenhouse gas over a refrigerant with zero climate impact,” says the report, which was reviewed in advance by The New York Times. “The N.H.L. is using its prominent influence and platform to amplify this misinformation to communities and companies.”

The report argues that if this chemical is widely adopted by NHL ice rinks across the U.S., within two decades it would produce the same amount of carbon dioxide emissions as 1,500 coal power plants produce annually.