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Acceptable Methods of Animal By-Produce Waste Disposal

Incineration represents a totally destructive method of disposal, however unless the incinerator has heat recovery (for instance, district heating or linked to electricity generation) then the energy will be lost from the material.

Rendering involves the processing of those parts of meat animals that are not used for human consumption. Those parts include the head, feet, bones, intestines, blood and various other tissues which we cannot or do not choose to eat.

Processing involves the crushing or grinding of the raw material, followed by heat treatment to reduce the moisture content and kill micro-organisms. There is a market for tallow in feed, for soap manufacture and for the oleo-chemical industry. It can also be used as a fuel, as a replacement for fossil fuel oils. The solid is ground into meat meal, or meat and bone-meal (MBM), which though it may no longer be fed to livestock can still be blended into certain pet foods.

The UK Rendering Association represents the seventeen renderers in the UK and can provide you with details of one local to you.

Biogas and Composting. Biogas is a product of anaerobic digestion – a method of producing conditions that encourage the natural breakdown of organic matter by bacteria in the absence of air and creates Biogas (rich in methane) which can be used to generate heat and/or electricity, Fibre which can be used as a nutrient-rich soil conditioner, and Liquor which can be used as liquid fertiliser. Composting is similar but only creates fibre and liquor.

There is some research on the composting of meat products ongoing, but it is not a currently licensed process.

For further information about ABPR click here

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