The Milk Roadmap
May 27, 2008 at 1:59 pm
By 2020, 50% of packaging for milk should be made from recyclable material, according to targets set out in the Roadmap published earlier this month by Defra, in conjunction with the dairy industry. Dairy produce is something enjoyed by most of the population of the UK – most of us have a carton of milk in the fridge – but there is definitely room for improvement in the environmental impact of the industry.
The Roadmap looks at the green credentials of the process (production, processing and consumption) on a cradle-to-grave basis and focuses on areas where short-term, medium-term and long-term goals can be set. These goals include targets for a reduction in the use of water and increases in the use of renewable energy, as well as the ultimate goal of sending zero waste to landfill.
James Crick, of Nampak Plastics, says he is pleased to have been involved in the Roadmap and that he is confident that the target for introducing recyclable plastic for milk bottles will be met. His company was involved in producing the first ever recyclable plastic milk bottle and aims to provide its users with up to 10% recyclable content in 2008/09, putting them ahead of the game. The Roadmap’s targets are 10% by 2010, 30% by 2015 and 50% by 2020. This should result in a reduction by 2020 of 50,000 tonnes of virgin material.
The director of Dairy UK, the body which chaired the working group behind the Roadmap, feels that it is leading the way and setting an excellent example to other sectors, not only in the UK but globally.
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