Update of dairy sustainability

After 10 years of its Dairy Roadmap sustainability programme, the UK dairy industry has reported on its progress over that time.

The results are to be commended:

• 24% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from milk production

• 24% increase in water efficiency

• 18% uplift in energy efficiency

• 85% of HDPE milk containers now recycled

• almost 90% drop in waste to landfill from 35% to 4%.

Also of note:

• Dairy is the largest UK agricultural sector, accounting for 15% of output value, worth £8,800 million in wholesale sales and employing over 70,000 people.

• The UK dairy sector is no 3 in Europe and no 10 worldwide.