UK food manufacturers have almost already met their target of reducing carbon emissions by 20 per cent by 2010, the Food and Drink Federation has claimed.
In the second progress report of its Five-fold Environmental Ambition, released today, the FDF says the industry has reduced its carbon emissions by 19 per cent since 1990 – the equivalent of one million tonnes of CO2. The data also suggests that FDF members are on target to meet the longer-term aspiration of a 30% reduction by 2020.
As well as these percentage based reduction targets, the Five-fold Environmental Ambition involves:
- Sending zero food and packaging waste to landfill from 2015;
- Achieving an absolute reduction in the level of packaging reaching households by 2010 compared to 2006;
- Significant reductions in water use to contribute to an industry-wide absolute target to reduce water use by 20% by 2020 compared to 2007;
- Embedding environmental standards in their transport practices to achieve fewer and friendlier food transport miles and contribute to an absolute target for the food chain to reduce its environmental and social impacts by 20% by 2012 compared to 2002.
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Other progress in today’s report includes:
- The first 36 signatories to the Federation House Commitment on water efficiency have reported savings of more than 500,000 cubic metres in the first year of operation of this voluntary initiative;
- FDF has conducted 13 detailed waste prevention reviews in conjunction with WRAP;
- Twenty-three FDF members have signed the Courtauld Agreement to reduce packaging while 15 members have joined a labelling scheme to provide consumers with standardised on-pack information about recyclability.
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“I’m delighted to support the FDF’s second progress report on its Five-Fold Environmental Ambition, setting out the food and drink sector’s environmental achievements in the past year,” said environment secretary Hilary Benn. “I’m particularly struck by the way FDF members have further cut their CO2 emissions. The FDF’s second progress report clearly shows how best practice, well applied, can yield both economic and environmental benefits.
“The large number of companies that have signed up to the Courtauld Commitment on waste packaging is very welcome, as is the FDF commitment to review the FEA further in the light of developments, including Food 2030. This report clearly sets out the progress made in the past year and I hope the FDF will be able to get even more companies involved, so that we can meet our legally binding CO2 targets.
Click here for FDF’s latest progress report in full.
