The European Union's Animal By-Products Regulations (Regulation No 1069/2009) allows for the treatment of some animal by-products in composting and biogas plants (anaerobic digesters). The following article describes procedures required to allow solid outputs (compost, digestate) from composting plants and anaerobic digesters onto land in the United Kingdom.
Categories of Animal By-Products
Category 1: Very high risk Category 2: High risk Category 3: Low risk
Category 1 BSE (Bovine spongiform encephalopathy) carcasses and suspects Specified Risk Material Catering waste from international transport
Must all be destroyed, not for use in composting or biogas plants
Category 2 Condemned meat Manure and gut contents
Can be used in composting and biogas plants after rendering (133C, 3 bar pressure) Manure and gut contents only can be used after pretreatment
Category 3 Catering waste from households, restaurants Former food Much slaughter house waste e.g. waste blood & feathers
Can be used in composting and biogas plants without pretreatment
Treatment Standards Composting
Closed reactor Maximum particle size 40cm, minimum temperature 60C, minimum time at that temperature 2 days Maximum Particle size 6cm, minimum temperature 70C, minimum time at that temperature 1 hour
Housed windrow Particle size 40cm, minimum temperature 60C, minimum time at that temperature 8 days
Biogas plants
Maximum particle size 5cm, minimum temperature 57C, minimum time at that temperature 5 hours Maximum particle size 6cm, minimum temperature 70C, minimum time at that temperature 1 hour Application and inspection form for approval to treat animal by-products and/or catering waste composting or biogas plants
References
Notes
Further reading
Leoci, R., Animal by-products (ABPs): origins, uses, and European regulations, Mantova: Universitas Studiorum, 2014.
See also Anaerobic digestion Biodegradable waste Composting Pasteurization