Dairy sector commits to ambitious new environmental targets
Dairy processors, farmers and retailers have today reached an ambitious agreement to further reduce the environmental impact of milk.
In a move that will set the mould for other sectors of the UK economy and is already attracting attention abroad, the dairy industry today published a Milk Road Map, which clearly sets out environmental targets over the next 12 years.
By 2020, half of all plastic milk bottles will be recycled into new milk bottles, almost no waste will be sent to landfill by dairies and water and energy consumption will be lower in absolute terms. The recycling pledge alone will save 60,000 tonnes of virgin plastic each year, equivalent to 1.5 billion bottles.
Other targets for 2020 include:
• All outer bulk packaging to be recyclable or re-usable
• 10% of processors' non-transport energy to come from renewable sources or CHP
• mandatory energy benchmarking for processors
• 60% reduction in water use per tonne of finished product
• farmers will recycle or reuse 70% of non-natural waste
• 40% of energy used on farm comes from renewable sources
• 20-30% reduction in greenhouse gas balance from farms, compared with 1990 levels
• retailers to ensure that all new stores emit less carbon than existing ones
The Road Map, drawn up by the Dairy Supply Chain Forum's Sustainable Consumption Task Force which is chaired by Dairy UK, sets out targets for the short, medium and long term, giving a picture of how the industry will perform in environmental terms by 2020.
Already a strong environmental performer, with investment in renewable energy, water efficiency, energy reduction and conservation, the dairy industry is proving itself to be proactive and determined to keep improving.
Dairy UK Director General Jim Begg said: "The Milk Road Map is a step change in the way we produce, process and consume liquid milk.
"It is a pioneering collaboration between all links in the supply chain that puts a bottle of milk on the kitchen table, and even beyond – to post-consumer recycling.
"Shoppers will be getting the same nutritious, tasty milk that they do now, but they will know that it has a lower impact on the environment than ever before. The dairy sector is leading the food industry with this initiative, and we are laying down a benchmark for other products to emulate."
The Road Map process was overseen by the Department for the Environment, Farming and Rural Affairs (Defra).
