Animal by-products also known as ABP consists of animal by-products or other materials which come from animals but are not meant for human consumption. This includes catering waste, used cooking oil, former foodstuffs, butcher and slaughterhouse waste, blood, feathers, wool, hides and skins, fallen stock, pet animals, zoo and circus animals, hunt trophies, manure, ova, embryos and semen not intended for breeding purposes. They can either be destroyed or could be used to make compost, biogas or other products.

These ABPs are divided into 3 categories, based on the risks they pose and should be disposed of based on the procedures provided according to the category they belong to. Animal by-products must be collected, identified and disposed of without undue delay, in order to prevent risks arising to public.

ABP’s are used for research activities or purposes within the University, hence it is required that any site that handles ABP must ensure that the site is approved or registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The various buildings in the University require registration under Article 23 Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 (Animal by-products Regulation) and must therefore oblige with ensuring good hygiene and safety of both staff and equipment at the site where the ABP is used. In other to ensure that the Animal by products to be used fall within the current University’s registration, please contact the Regulatory Compliance team to seek further advice and guidance. You are not to register the ABP with APHA, the Regulatory Compliance team will register them on the University register on your behalf.

Your site is a handling site if you receive ABPs for specific purposes and it is considered a storage site if you store ABPs or ABP derived products like processed animal protein. It is important for the site to be approved before you can store or handle ABPs.

You must keep unprocessed ABPs in category-specific rooms, divided by floor-to-ceiling walls or partitions and keep raw ABP material separate from any processed final products.

You must also clean and disinfect your site and any containers or vehicles used for storing or transporting ABPs. More information on how to ensure ABP hygiene on site can be found here.

You must keep records of any consignments of ABP or derived products that enters or exits your premises. This log book must entail a detailed description of the contents, including the category and quantity, the date the material was sent or received, details of the specie and its category, address of origin and destination, contact names at both the origin and destination, approval or registration numbers for the factory or vehicle, the signature of whoever is responsible for the contents, and the weight, volume and quantity of the material. An example of a logbook can be found here.

This logbook must be kept for at least 2 years.

Please note that when labelling ABP vehicles, containers or packages you should measure quantity by weight, number of containers with estimates of their average weight, number (for example 85 tripes) and its volume.

These vehicles or containers should also state the category of the ABP contents; for example, Category 1 material - ‘for disposal only’.

The procedure of transporting ABPs is dependent on the category which the ABP belongs to. Animal by-products must be transported in sealed new packaging or covered leak-proof containers or vehicles. Also, if the ABP is transported with other substances classified as a dangerous goods for carriage, for example class 9 – Dry Ice or if themselves could be classed as dangerous goods, for example  class 6 – Infectious/toxic goods, please speak with the University’s Dangerous Goods Safety Advisor for further guidance on the appropriate method of packaging and transporting them. 

Imports

You can only bring animal by-products into Great Britain from approved EU and EFTA countries and non-EU countries. Most ABPs from non-EU countries must be checked at border control. Research and diagnostic samples coming from member states do not need a UK import licence but must comply with EU rules on ABP. You would need to check the import information notes to find out if your import is covered. Note that research and diagnostic samples coming from non-EU countries would need a licence (an open general licence or an individual authorisation).

The university must notify authorities in Great Britain before ABPs arrive from EU and non-EU countries, hence you must notify the Regulatory Compliance team to submit such notification via the IPAFFS portal on your behalf.

Exports

In most cases you would need an Export Health Certificate (EHC) or model declaration form to export ABP using the EHC finder to identify if it is required. You are not to register for the EHC yourself, the Regulatory Compliance team will request them on your behalf.

Guidance on the requirements for exporting ABP are available and for further clarification please speak with the Regulatory Compliance team.

ABPs must be disposed according to their three categories. 

Category 1 ABPs 

The primary method for disposal is autoclaving (pressure sterilisation). After autoclaving, the material must be permanently marked with glyceroltriheptanoate (GTH) and then sent to an authorised landfill for final disposal. Other methods include incineration at an approved plant or using the material as fuel for combustion at an approved site. 

You must keep records of this disposal (GTH concentration, method of disposal). 

Category 2 ABPs 

You can also use autoclaving as with category 1 ABPs, followed by permanently marking with glyceroltriheptanoate (GTH) and then sending to an authorised landfill.  

Other methods available for this category are: 

• incinerating or co-incinerating without processing or with prior processing, when resulting material has to be marked with glyceroltriheptanoate (GTH) 

• sending them to authorised landfill after processing by pressure sterilisation and marking with GTH 

• making them into organic fertilisers/ soil improvers, after processing and marking with GTH 

• composting or anaerobic digestion after processing by pressure sterilisation and marking with GTH (milk, milk products, eggs, egg products, digestive tract content, manure do not need processing, providing no risk of spreading serious transmissible disease) 

• applying them to land, in the case of manure, digestive tract content, milk, milk products and colostrum, this can be done without processing 

• using them in composting or anaerobic digestion, if they are materials coming from aquatic animals ensiled 

• using them as fuel for combustion 

• using them for manufacture of certain cosmetic products, medical devices and safe industrial or technical uses 

You must keep records of this disposal (GTH concentration, method of disposal). 

Category 3 

You can only dispose of category 3 ABPs by: 

• incineration or co-incineration 

• sending them to landfill after they’ve been processed 

• processing them, if they’re not decomposed or spoiled, and using them to make feed for farm animals (where allowed by the TSE/ABP regulations) 

• processing them and using them to make petfood 

• processing them and using them to make organic fertilisers and soil improvers 

• using them in composting or anaerobic digestion 

• ensiling (turning them into silage) if they come from aquatic animals 

• applying them to land as a fertiliser, in some cases 

• using them as fuel for combustion 

• using them to make cosmetic products or medical devices 

Further information and guidance on ABPs can be found on UK guidance.