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| Monday, July 13, 2009 | 09:07 |
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Company News
Food and Drink Sector Gets Teeth Into 2020 Water Target
Almost 500,000 cubic metres of water - equivalent to nearly 200 Olympic swimming pools - have already been saved as thirty six of the UK’s leading food and drink manufacturers report their first full year progress on the voluntary Federation House Commitment (FHC) on water efficiency.
This marks the sector’s first step towards achieving a 20% reduction in water use by 2020 (1) compared to 2007, working with sustainability experts Envirowise who jointly launched the initiative with the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) in January 2008.
Companies including Cranswick Food Group, Dairy Crest, Greenvale AP, Mars UK, R&R Ice Cream, United Biscuits, Walkers, and William Jackson Food Group have contributed to a collective reduction in water use of 1.7% during 2008. Together signatories will have saved almost £500,000 in the purchase of water alone (2), not including the cost of water treatment and effluent disposal.
Andrew Kuyk, Director of Sustainability and Competitiveness at the Food and Drink Federation, says:
“The food and drink manufacturing sector is a significant water user and has an important role to play in helping to reduce stress on the nation’s water supplies. While there is still much to be done to achieve the 20% by 2020 target, we are delighted to see FHC members already making a positive impact on the environment.”
Water-saving measures being implemented by FHC members include improving water recovery and re-use, rainwater harvesting, cleaning-in-place and dry cleaning operations – as well as domestic changes such as fitting more efficient taps and toilets.
Claire Sweeney, Envirowise Water Specialist, says:
“The opportunities for water saving range from simple low-cost solutions through to those which require capital investment and greater lead-in times – offering benefits over the longer term. We’d be delighted to hear from other food and drink manufacturers keen to get involved in the FHC to share in the best practice and make savings.”
The FHC is open to all companies in the food and drink manufacturing sector and more information - including the full 2009 progress report - can be found at www.fhc2020.co.uk
For further information please contact Keren McCarron, FDF Media Relations Manager on 020 7420 7132/keren.mccarron@fdf.org.uk or Peter Stilwell, Consultant to Envirowise (Trimedia) on 0117 929 2311.
Notes to Editors
As outlined in Defra’s Food Industry Sustainability Strategy. The 20% reduction does not include water embedded in products.
Assuming all savings are towns water and an average of £1.05 per cubic metre is applied.
Case studies of companies involved in the initiative are available and include: Cranswick Food Group, Dairy Crest, Greenvale AP, Mars UK, R&R Ice Cream, United Biscuits, Walkers, and William Jackson Food Group.
The Federation House Commitment (FHC) is an initiative jointly developed by the Food and Drink Federation and Envirowise, providing companies with a systematic approach for improving water efficiency. The FHC is open to all companies in the food and drink manufacturing sector and is helping the industry to become a leader in national efforts to improve water efficiency. Under the FHC, food and drink companies pledge to review their individual on-site water use and take action to reduce it. It was launched in January 2008 to help reduce stress on the nation's water supplies and contribute to an industry-wide target to reduce water use (except that embedded in products) by 20% by 2020 (against a 2007 baseline) in the Food Industry Sustainability Strategy. The Food and Drink Federation’s ambition to reduce water use is part of its Five-fold Environmental Ambition which was launched in 2007. The key elements of the Commitment are: the development of a 2007 baseline of water use for individual signatories and for the Commitment as a whole; assessment of water use at each participating company’s manufacturing sites; the development of site specific action plans to reduce water use; implementation of action plans; and annual reporting to Envirowise on water and cost savings. The full 2009 progress report can be found at http://www.fhc2020.co.uk/fhc/cms/assets/Uploads/FHCAnnualReportfinalonline.pdf.
The Food and Drink Federation (FDF) is the voice of the food and drink manufacturing industry – the UK’s largest manufacturing sector. For more information about FDF and the industry we represent visit: www.fdf.org.uk.
Envirowise is a Government-funded programme dedicated to putting the sustainable use of resources at the heart of UK business practice. Since 1994 Envirowise has helped UK businesses save over £1bn by enabling them to significantly reduce their environmental footprints. Envirowise offers businesses of all sizes and sectors a wide range of free, independent and practical advice designed to genuinely improve their processes, profitability and competitiveness. Services include: The Envirowise Advice Line on 0800 585794; an encyclopaedic website (www.envirowise.gov.uk) of valuable and relevant information; and over 200 events each year, from Product Design Workshops to major exhibitions.
Contact
| Name: Nicki Hunt |
| E-mail: Nicki.Hunt@fdf.org.uk |
| Web: http://www.fdf.org.uk |
| Company: Food and Drink Federation (FDF) |
| Address: 6 Catherine Street - WC2B 5JJ London |
| Country: UNITED KINGDOM |
| Phone: +44 (0)20 7420 7132 |
| Fax: +44 (0)20 7836 0580 |
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