Animal By-Product Regulation laid before Scottish Parliament

The Regulations were introduced in England and Wales on July 1, 2003 but the Scottish Parliament had announced that it would delay the introduction of the European regulations (see letsrecycle.com story). The delay was to enable some definitions to be finalised and for the regulations to be laid before the Scottish Parliament.

The regulations came before the Scottish Parliament yesterday, and are now expected to be implemented fully by October 1, 2003.

The Regulations will control the way in which waste materials from animals, including food waste, blood and feathers, can be disposed. The regulations prevent the landfilling and composting of untreated animal waste products.

The main implications of the new regulations include:

• Restricting the treatment of animal by-products to approved composting or biogas plants;
• Introducing controls on animal carcass incinerators;
• Requiring the treatment of previously uncontrolled animal by-products such as blood and feathers;
• A ban on the routine burial of fallen stock;
• Maintaining the existing UK ban on swill feeding.

Legislation

Following consultations with stakeholders, the Scottish Parliament has published the legislation that will be adopted when the regulations are implemented.

The Scottish Executive has said that following discussion with food manufacturers and retailers there will be a transition period between the implementation of the regulations and the end of 2005. During this time most catering waste will continue to be allowed to go to landfill.

The discussions with the industry also resulted in an agreement to set up a Task Force to monitor the disposal of the waste in this transition period.

A statement from the Scottish Executive said: “It was agreed to establish a Task Force to ensure that the transitional arrangements are implemented in a proportionate manner and that the transition period is used to move from the use of landfill to dispose of former foodstuffs, to alternative outlets such as biogas, composting and rendering plants.”