Milk processors outline eco-goals

In addition, larger processors will also have to cut water use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from their operations by the same deadline, according to the new Milk Roadmap drawn up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The global dairy industry is increasingly looking to curb its impacts on the environment amidst growing consumer and government concerns, with the new measures likely to further ramp up pressure on companies to address their energy use and emissions. To this end, the Milk Roadmap, drawn up in cooperation with a number of leading retailers and manufacturers, will serve as a tool to allow for better understanding of how to reduce environmental impacts across the entire dairy industry, DEFRA said. Processor challenges ​ For liquid milk processors, the main challenges, according to the roadmap, will include ensuring that half of all packaging used for milk packaging will be made from recycled materials by 2020. A number of milk processing plants are already signed up for the ISO14001 environmental accreditation scheme according to DEFRA, though under the new proposals further cuts to energy and water use will be required. As part of the roadmap's long-term focus, by 2020, larger processors must make absolute reductions to their water use of 30 per cent compared to 2007 levels, with a focus particularly on reuse and recycling schemes. Smaller processors will be required to enact a 20 per cent reduction over the same period, according to the roadmap. CO2 emissions ​ In terms of the industries CO2 emissions, processors will also be required to exceed the previously agreed targets set as part of the Climate Change Agreement with the dairy sector. The roadmap said the use of new technologies would need to be introduced in a bid to cut emissions of nitrogen dioxide from gas boilers on site as well. Before 2020, milk processors will have to come inline with short and medium-term target goals as well, with of deadlines of 2010 and 2015 respectively. In the short term, milk processors will be required to at least be in line with the energy and CO2 outlined by the Climate Change Agreement, while ensuring that a minimum of 10 per cent to all milk bottles are made of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE). By 2015, major processors will be required to adopt an Environmental Management System (EMS) addressing their carbon, water, effluent, waste, and packaging outputs. Small and medium-sized groups will also be encouraged to join, EFSA said. Any processor using gas-fired boilers over 2MW will be required to install low NOx burners as a result, the company said. International concern ​ Compliance with the roadmap will be overseen by industry group Dairy UK, however it is not just national dairy companies which are increasingly having to question their environmental impacts. Christian Robert, director general of the International Dairy Federation (IDF), which represents industry stakeholders across the globe, told DairyReporter.com that its experts were increasingly looking for new solutions to reduce environmental impact. "We decided in January that we would move to intensify our efforts towards increasing environmental sustainability for the whole industry,"​ he said. Robert said that the committee was not just looking at improvements in processing, with agricultural issues like fresh water and effluent treatment also proving to be a vital area of the focus.