Animal health and welfare

Animal by-products

Animal by-products (ABPs) are entire animal bodies, parts of animals, products of animal origin or other products obtained from animals that are not fit or intended for human consumption.

Animal by-products include: 

  • animal carcasses and parts of animal carcasses - including fish
  • manure from farmed animals
  • blood, hides, skins, hooves and horns
  • feathers, wool, hair and fur

They must be dealt with in accordance with strict regulations designed to prevent harm to people, animals and the environment.

Legislation

The EU Animal By-Product Regulation 1069/2009 and its accompanying implementing Commission Regulation 142/2011 came into force in Scotland in March 2011 and among other measures prohibits the burial or burning of fallen stock on-farm.

The EU regulations are implemented by the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2013 and the Animal By-Products (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2015.

Animal by-product operators: inspection and guidance

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is responsible for inspecting animal by-product operators in Scotland, and can provide detailed guidance on the requirements they need to meet.

We have produced animal by-products disposal guidance.

Guidance on the use, disposal, transport, handling and storage of animal by-products is available on the animal by-products section of the Gov.uk website.

Competent authority authorisation

The EU Animal By-Products Regulation allows member states to derogate from the basic framework of animal by-products controls in specified areas provided certain conditions are met.

Some types of derogation are provided for directly in the Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2013. Others will be the subject of an authorisation issued by the Scottish Ministers. Read more at: EU animal by-products regulation: competent authority authorisations

Types of animal by-products premises

There are many premises that generate, store, use handle or dispose of animal by-products, as set out below:

Types of animal by-product

Related premises

Animal carcasses and parts of carcasses

  • rendering plants
  • incineration and combustion plants
  • petfood plants
  • knacker yards and hunt kennels (intermediate plants and collection centres
  • abattoirs (NB: approved by FSA)
  • farms (fallen stock)

ABP food waste

  • food manufacturers
  • catering establishments
  • food retailers

Other ABP plants/sites

  • plants handling ABPs to make technical products (e.g. tanneries, taxidermists, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, medical devices)
  • handling/storage plants

Compost/Biogas/OFSI

  • manufacturers of organic fertilisers and soil improvers ( OFSI)
  • composting plants
  • anerobic digestion (biogas plants)
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