Despite processing 7% more milk last year, industrial emissions from milk processing sites in Ireland dropped 3% in 2019, according to new figures released last week by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).

This means Irish dairy co-ops reduced their carbon emissions related to industrial energy consumption, such as electricity and natural gas, by 3%. The reduction in industrial emissions from the dairy sector was achieved despite co-ops processing a record 7.9bn litres of milk last year, with production of butter, cheese and milk powder hitting record volumes.

Director with DII Conor Mulvihill said the Irish dairy industry deserves recognition for cutting emissions by 3% last year

Co-ops and other processors continue to turn to renewable sources of energy to run their plants. Dairygold recently announced that it is now using 100% renewable electricity at all of its processing sites, while Carbery is also close to using 100% green electricity. Other co-ops are also pursuing similar strategies in a move to low carbon processing.

Dairy Industry Ireland (DII), the representative body for dairy processors in Ireland, says it is “hugely positive” to see Irish dairy co-ops and processors reducing industrial carbon emissions in 2019, while still processing record volumes of milk.

Director with DII Conor Mulvihill said the Irish dairy industry deserves recognition for cutting emissions by 3% last year, despite processing more than 400m litres of extra milk.

Record production

Last year saw record output of dairy commodities from the Irish dairy industry. According to CSO figures, co-ops produced almost 530,000t of butter and cheese in 2019.

Irish cheese production grew by 3%, or almost 10,000t last year, to an all-time record volume of 280,000t. At the same time, Irish butter production increased by 5% last year, or almost 13,000t, to reach a record volume of 251,000t.

The CSO figures also show that the volume of skimmed milk powder (SMP) produced in Ireland last year grew by 7%, or almost 9,000t, to reach 142,500t of SMP.