Dairy UK Environmental Benchmarking

Introduction

Dairy UK has worked hard over the past three years to develop an environmental benchmarking ‘tool’ for the dairy sector. This allows processing sites in the UK to compare their performance with complete anonymity against others in the industry.

By capturing data relating to key environmental metrics, the tool has the power to identify the best practices and processes, and help users to adapt and implement them. Metrics include energy use, greenhouse gas emissions, packaging and waste.

In the first year, 2009, Dairy UK received data on well over 60% of the total milk processed in the UK and in 2011 this rose to 70% of milk production and covered data from 47 sites across the UK. We will collect and publish the information online annually to track the industry’s improvement.The variation in annual figures is in part due to the change in number of sites reporting data and overtime the accuracy of the data will improve.

Executive Summary

Since the introduction of the Environmental Benchmarking Tool in 2008, the industry has made some significant improvements, these include; a 1% increase in energy efficiency, an 11% improvement in specific water use in the liquid milk sector, a 5% increase recycling rates and an impressive 17% increase in the percentage of recycled material used in packaging. There have however been a number of areas where the industry has slipped such as; specific emissions levels and specific water use for the industry as a whole. Whilst this is largely due to the continued widening of the data set collected since 2008 it is important the industry remains vigilant in these areas.

Energy

Dairy processing is an energy intense activity, requiring heat and cooling. Electricity and natural gas dominate the energy mix, accounting for 85% of use. Since 2000 dairy processors have operated a Climate Change Agreement and have reduced energy use by over 20% and increased energy efficiency by almost 30%. Processors have achieved a net carbon saving of more than 270,000 tonnes.

Water

Dairy processing is also a significant user of water; with cleaning the main consumer of water in dairies. But with new plant, water recycling and better effluent treatment, major milk processors reduced water consumption significantly.

Waste

The dairy sector has targeted zero waste to landfill by 2020, with major processors delivering this target five years earlier in 2015.

Packaging Use

Reducing the environmental impact of packaging is a key target for dairy processors and through the Dairy Roadmap fresh milk manufacturers have begun to introduce 50% recycled material into plastic milk bottles by 2020.

The recycled material is sourced from milk bottles collected from homes across the UK. The bottles are then reprocessed into clean, safe, recycled plastic and used to make new milk bottles.

In 2010 fresh milk processors, bottle manufacturers, and retailers introduced milk bottles with 10% recycled material.

In addition to milk bottles dairy processors are increasing the amount of recycled material used in all dairy product packaging.