Dairy co-operative First Milk has announced that its creamery in Pembrokeshire has hit two sustainability milestones recently.
December 2020 saw the creamery, based in Haverfordwest, send zero food waste to landfill for the first time, with all waste going to anaerobic digestion plants.
In addition, the amount of water recovered from processing activities reached 50% of all water used at the site.
David Seeckts, First Milk's chief operating officer, said the business was 'significantly ahead' of its energy use and CO2e emissions targets.
"Credit must go to our colleagues at the Haverfordwest creamery for driving forward with these recent developments on food waste and water use," he said.
"All businesses have a responsibility to act sustainably to protect and enhance the global environment we all share."
The co-op's First4Milk programme, launched in March 2020, outlines a range of sustainability commitments that it has set out to meet by 2025.
These include a 40% relative reduction in energy, a 30% relative reduction in water use and a 65% relative reduction in CO2e by 2025.
The initiative sees the business asking its members to commit to improvements within three main areas - 'people, animals and the earth'.
Other key elements of the pledge include farmer members guaranteeing that no healthy animal, including calves, will be euthanised on farm.
Farmers also share antibiotic use data, enhance biodiversity and soil health on farm and help promote a positive image of dairy.
