Defra is to meet with food retailers and manufacturers today to discuss some “flexiblility” to the second part of the regulations, following the European Commission's amending of draft guidance on former foodstuffs.
Former foodstuff, such as waste meat and fish topped pizzas and sausage rolls from retailers and manufacturers, are due to be banned from landfill as of 1 January, 2006.
The ban includes products such as bread and cakes which may contain small amounts of pasteurised milk or butter, but many people, including those in food industry believe these items are not likely to pose a risk to animal health as put forward by the regulations as they have undergone significant pre-treatment.
Amendment
Now the European Commission, which oversees individual countries' regulations via the Animal By-Product Regulation 2002, has responded by amending draft guidance. This is to permit Member States to determine the type of material that will be caught by the new rules.
Member States may decide that certain former foodstuff that have been pre-treated to such an extent that the risk to public and animal health is such that it can be considered outside the scope of their individual regulations.
Sue Bolton, head of animal by-products at Defra has previously indicated that the Department was pushing for some milk and honey products not to receive as strict treatment as sausage rolls and meat pies for example.
The implication of the proposed changes will be discussed at today's meetings. In a statement Defra said: “The work that the food industry has been doing to minimise the amount of waste it produces and to identify more sustainable outlets in welcome and it is hoped that this work will continue.”
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