Animal by-products – Handling, Use and Disposal
Animal by-products (ABPs) are products of animal origin (POAO) that are no longer intended for human consumption.
While they may still be fit for human consumption, once the decision is made that they are no longer needed, it is irreversible. From that point the product must be treated in accordance with the assimilated animal by-products regulation 1069/2009 (the ABPR).
Understanding the ABPR
The ABPR covers the collection, transport, storage, handling, processing, use and disposal of animal by-products. These by-products are categorised into three risk-based groups (Category 1, 2 or 3), which determine their permitted use.
Category 3: The lowest risk level, covering most seafood products. These can be repurposed as raw materials for products like fishmeal or pet food.
Category 2: Includes seafood that has not died as a result of slaughter for human consumption or has been removed from the market due to food safety concerns.
Category 1: Includes ABPs with the highest risk, seafood products are rarely category 1.
At every stage of the process, the person handling the material is responsible for complying with the ABPR requirements. Waste management is also subject to a Duty of Care, meaning that producers remain legally responsible for the proper handling of their waste until it reaches its final use or disposal.
Defra has produced guides for those working with animal by-products (ABPs). They cover how to process, transport, store, and dispose of ABPs.
Similar guidance has been produced for Scotland:
Derogations for Seafood
The UK has authorised certain derogations (exceptions) for Seafood under the ABPR. These include the use of certain seafood products for bait and spreading on land.
As this is a devolved issue the derogation varies between nations. Click on a nation below to view the respective derogations:
Additional Resources
In 2010, we produced a range of guidance notes on disposal of seafood waste. These were produced while the UK was a member of the EU and, while they are now archived, they remain available for reference. Please note that they have not been updated since their publication.