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FAQs

 

Q. What is rendering?

A. Rendering is the processing of parts of animals that are not used for human consumption. This includes the head, feet, bones, intestines, blood and various other tissues, which we choose not to eat.

Processing entails the crushing or grinding of the raw material, followed by high temperature treatment to reduce moisture and kill micro-organisms.

The end products of the rendering process are:

. Tallow

. Meat & Bone Meal {MBM}

 

Q. How many rendering companies are there in Ireland?

A. There are 6 rendering companies in the Republic of Ireland.

 

Q. How many rendering plants are there in Ireland?

A. There are 8 plants in the Republic of Ireland. These include 4 Category 1 plants and 4 Category 2 plants.

 

Q. Is the rendering process exclusive to Ireland?

A. No, the process is performed in every developed country in the world.

 

Q. What quantity of raw material is collected and processed annually.

A. In Ireland, up to 560,000 tonnes of material is processed each year, derived from cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry. This is equivalent to 2,196 tonnes or around 110 lorry-loads per day. In the EU, approximately 15 million tonnes of material is processed annually.

 

Q. What are the quantities of animal by-products produced?

A. In the Republic of Ireland, about 90,000 tonnes of tallow and 150,000 tonnes of protein meals are produced each year.

 

Q. What are the traditional markets for animal by-products?

A. TALLOW - Depending on the quality and source of the raw material, tallow and fats have a wide variety of uses, including human food, animal feed, soap and the oleo chemical industry where it is used to make a range of chemicals used in the production of dyes, paints, plastics, car tyres, concrete and pharmaceuticals.

MEAT AND BONE MEAL (MBM) has been used in ruminant, pig and poultry diets for more than 100 years. Most of this meal has been used in pig and poultry rations, typically at levels of 3-5% of the total diet. To a lesser degree it has also been used as a fertiliser

 

Q. Following the BSE crisis, what are the current markets for these by products?

A. Following the EU legislation 1774/2002 which prohibits its inclusion into feed, almost all MBM is now used as an important low carbon fuel. Around 1% of total production comes from specially selected raw materials for use in pet foods. Poultry meal, produced in dedicated plants, is also used in pet food.

There are markets for tallow in feed, soap manufacture and the oleo chemical industry. It can also be used as a valuable low carbon fuel, replacing fossil fuel oils.

 

Q. Why has the EU banned the feeding MBM to animals?

A. The EU banned the use of all animal protein in livestock rations from 1 January 2001. This was principally because of concerns about BSE through cross contamination.

 

Q. What are the prospects of animal protein getting back into feed rations in the future?

A. This will depend on a number of factors. Finding suitable markets and tests for species classification must be available to ensure that category 3 end products only are used in feed and that same species feeding cannot happen. The TSE position of each member state will also be an issue.

 

Q. What types of animal protein meal are likely to be the first to have the ban lifted?

A. As far as the rendering industry is concerned; a case for feather meal is initially being made. This is likely to be followed by poultry meal.

 

Q. When did the European Union first introduce controls in relation to rendering?

A. November 1990, when Council Directive 90/667 was agreed. This set out the rules for the disposal and processing of animal waste and had to be implemented by January 1992.

 

Q. What is the principal legislation controlling the operations of the rendering industry?

A. The Animal By-Products Regulation (1774/2002) which applied throughout the EU with effect from 30 April 2003. This replaced the Animal Waste Directive (90/667)

 

Q. How are the Regulations enforced?

A. Enforcement provisions are contained in a statutory instrument, passed by the government of each member state and controlled in Ireland by the Veterinary section of the Department of Agriculture

 

Q. What are the features of the Animal By-Products Regulation (1774/2002)?

A. Animal by-product raw material is divided into three categories; Category 1, 2 and 3.

Each must be collected, processed, stored, disposed of or used in ways that are set out in the Regulations.

 

Q. How are Categories 1, 2 & 3 defined?

A. Category 1 material includes TSE suspects, specified risk material (including whole animals containing SRM). Category 2 material includes animals which die (other than cattle and sheep containing SRM), animals killed to eradicate an epizootic disease and manure and digestive tract content. Category 3 materials includes parts of slaughtered animals, which are fit for human consumption, but are not intended for human consumption for commercial reasons or because of consumer choice.

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