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Milk industry to be 'whiter than white' on green issues

02/05/2008

The dairy sector has agreed to a range of measures designed to transform the industry into one of the UK's most environmentally-friendly.

The Milk Roadmap, drawn up between trade associations and the government, has secured a commitment for half of all milk packaging to be made from recycled materials by 2020.

Dairy and meat account for seven per cent of UK greenhouse gas emissions, and ministers want to use the ubiquity of milk as an exemplar of green practices to other industries.

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) minister Jeff Rooker said: "Dairy products are enjoyed by almost everyone in the UK; there are very few households without a carton of milk in the fridge.

"The dairy industry has acted responsibly in the past to cut its environmental impact, and this roadmap provides a major new tool to achieve that."

The draft document contains a range of short, medium and long-term measures designed to improve the environmental credentials of the dairy sector.

Among the commitments are a 20 to 30 per cent cut in greenhouse gas balances by 2020.

Dairy UK, which drew the roadmap up with the government, said the industry was also prepared to source more renewable energy compared to 2007 levels.

"As a forward-thinking and innovative industry, the dairy sector recognises that it has an important role to play in cutting the UK's toll on the environment," commented Dairy UK director general Jim Begg.

"I am proud of the measures that our industry has committed itself to, and proud that we are the first sector to draw up one of these ground breaking Road Maps. I believe we are setting an important example to other sectors and to the rest of the world."