International Review of Waste Management Policy - Department of ...

37.0 Animal By–Products Regulations – Ireland
37.1 Outline of Policy
Animal by-products (ABP) include bodies of animals, parts of animals or products of
animal origin that are not intended for human consumption. A large amount of
catering waste and former foodstuffs also fall within the definition of ABP. Some
animal by-products are used in animal proteins such as meat and bone meal, fats,
gelatine, collagen etc. Each year around 550,000 tonnes of raw ABP is produced in
Ireland. 715 The use or disposal of this material has to be strictly controlled, in order to
protect both public and animal health.
On the 3 October 2002 the EU adopted Regulation EC 1774/2002 716, which lays
down strict rules concerning the collection, transport, storage, handling, processing
and use or disposal of all ABP not intended for human consumption. This regulation
defines animal by-products as “entire bodies or parts of animals or products of
animal origin… not intended for human consumption”.
The EU Animal By-Products Regulation aims to ensure that all meat and other
products of animal origin, which are processed by composting, must meet specific
treatment standards, to ensure sufficient pathogen removal in order that the treated
compost may be safely applied to land. This Regulation permits the treatment in
approved composting and biogas premises of low-risk animal by-products including
catering waste. For the purpose of this review the focus is on composting. Biogas is
not considered in detail as these facilities are primarily concerned with the treatment
of industrial waste in Ireland at present.
The Regulations classify ABP into 3 categories depending on their potential risk to
animals, the public and the environment and sets out how each category must or may
be disposed of.
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� Category Category Category 1 1 material is very high risk material consisting of Specified Risk
Material (SRM), animals suspected or confirmed of being infected with
Transmissible Spongiform Encephalopathies (TSE) or Scrapie, animals killed in
the context of TSE controls, carcasses of pet animals and international
catering waste. Category 1 ABPs may only be disposed of by incineration, coincineration
or rendering in a plant approved to handle Category 1 ABP.
Category 1 catering waste from international transport may be disposed of in
an approved landfill.
� Category Category 2 2 material is of medium risk and includes materials such as
condemned meat, fallen stock, manure or animal by-products presenting a
715 Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food – Information Notes.
716 EC No 1774/2002 of the European Parliament and of the Council – Laying down health rules
concerning Animal By-Products not intended for human consumption.
29/09/09