Dairy sector set to meet 2010 environmental impact target

03-Jun-2010 - Last updated on 16-Mar-2017 at 09:41 GMT

Related tags Sustainability Dairy uk

The dairy supply chain is on track to meet its 2010 Milk Roadmap targets, and could raise the bar even higher for the future.

Originally published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs in May 2008, the Milk Roadmap is the first stage of an action plan to help the dairy sector reduce its environmental impact. It also aims to take economic and social sustainability into account.

Evidence has shown that milk and meat are foods with some of the highest environmental impact. Food and drink consumption and production accounts for between 20 and 30% of all environmental impacts within the EU.

Chairman of the Milk Roadmap Taskforce and DairyCo Tim Bennett said: "The success of the Roadmap demonstrates the huge commitment and co-operation between producers, processors, and retailers." DairyCo is a levy-funded, not-for-profit body for Britain's dairy farmers.

Highlighting the progress of the processing sector, Jim Begg, Dairy UK director general, said: "Processors have also clearly prioritised the environmental agenda. Already 85% of plastic milk bottles are meeting the 10% recycled material target while energy efficiency continues to improve." Dairy UK represents UK dairy farmers and processors.

Dairy UK, sustainability specialist Camco and the Carbon Trust will host a workshop on June 16 to look at new technologies' potential to reduce processing emissions. The workshop, at Harper Adams College, supports the Industrial Energy Efficiency Accelerator (IEEA) programme and will examine dairy specific processes such as pasteurisation and cleaning-in-place, looking at energy use and identifying future solutions for reducing emissions.

Fergus McReynolds, environment manager at Dairy UK, said: "IEEA will enable dairy firms to drive forward the technologies that help deliver the environmental improvements championed in the Milk Roadmap. The sector has shown its desire to improve the environmental footprint across the supply chain and the IEEA programme is one of the tools in this process".

Funded by the Carbon Trust, the IEEA programme is designed to take industry sectors beyond traditional energy efficiency.