Animal By-Products Disposal

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The Definition of Animal By-Products

Animal by-products (ABPs) are defined as entire bodies or parts of dead animals, products of animal origin or other products obtained from dead animals which are not intended for human consumption. Animal by-products are a potential source of risks to public and animal health. Legislation has been in place for many years to control these risks by setting out the requirements for the collection, storage, transport, treatment, use and disposal of animal by-products. They are split into three key categories – category 1 (highest risk to public health), category 2 (high risk), and category 3 (lowest risk).

Examples of animal by-products include:

Our national infrastructure of Category 1, 2 and 3 approved sites allow us to collect Animal By-Products on an ad-hoc or scheduled basis for hygienic, efficient, and sustainable disposal. If customers would rather handle their own transport, we are able accept ABP loads delivered directly to our sites also. We offer a range of disposal solutions depending on the risk level of the ABP material. These options include incineration and animal cremation, anaerobic digestion and composting. We offer a 100% zero to landfill solution for all categories of ABP.

Our closed loop service includes:

Compliant national network of BK2 approved vehicles
Advanced waste processing technology
Highly skilled and trained drivers
Competitive pricing
Expertise and guidance
Ad hoc or scheduled collections
Able to receive loads of ABPs delivered into our sites
Sustainable solutions with zero to landfill

Our incineration plant at Cambridge meets strict regulations regulated by EA, AHVLA and DEFRA/APHA; as a result, we can process ABP waste in compliance with UK and EU regulations.

Categorisation of Animal By-Products

Under Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 animal by-products can fall into one of three categories that reflect the level of risk to public and animal health.

Category 1 Material

Category 1 material is defined in Article 8 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009.
It is the highest risk, and consists principally of material that is considered a TSE risk, such as Specified Risk Material (SRM) - those parts of an animal considered most likely to harbour a disease such as BSE, for example bovine spinal cord.

Pet animals, zoo and circus animals and experimental animals and veterinary watse are also classified as category 1 material due to the level of veterinary drugs and residues they may contain. Wild animals may also be classified as category 1 material when they are suspected of carrying a disease communicable to humans or animals.

Catering waste from means of international transport (catering waste which has come from outside the EU) is also category 1.

Category 2 Material

Category 2 material is defined in Article 9 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009.
Category 2 material is also high risk; it includes fallen stock, manure and digestive tract content. Category 2 is also the default status of any animal by-product not defined in Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 as either category 1 or category 3 material. This can include ABP based food products rejected at the Border Control Post at UK ports.

Category 3 Material

Category 3 material is defined in Article 10 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009.
Category 3 materials are considered low risk. Category 3 materials include parts of animals that have been passed fit for human consumption in a slaughterhouse, but which are not intended for consumption. Category 3 also includes products of animal origin, or foodstuffs containing products of animal origin which are no longer intended for human consumption for commercial reasons or due to manufacturing or packaging defects or other defects that do not pose a risk to public or animal health.

Mixtures of Different Categories of Animal By-Products

Articles 8, 9 and 10 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 require that mixtures of different categories of animal by-products must assume the categorisation of the highest risk animal by-product in the mixture; therefore, a mixture containing categories 1, 2 and 3 would be treated as category 1 material.

Find out how we can help with animal by-product disposal.

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Animal By-Products Disposal