Maria Wasley has been appointed environment manager for Dairy UK in a bid to help dairy companies drive down their energy use.

Wasley joins Dairy UK from consultancy RSK Environmental Health and Safety, where she was a senior engineer working with industry to help develop climate change strategies.

"Environmental issues have really moved up the agenda for business and the public," she said.

"I'm looking forward to working with the dairy industry and I'm excited by the environmental initiatives that are currently in place, as well as the strong commitment

shown by the sector to improve its performance."

Jim Begg, director general of Dairy UK, added: "We're delighted Maria has joined the team to drive forward our ambitious environmental work. She will be an invaluable addition to the staff. The dairy industry is committed to reducing its environmental footprint, and Maria's appointment is just part of that commitment."