Written question asked by David Mowat (Conservative) on Monday, 20 February 2012, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Wednesday, 22 February 2012. It was answered by James Paice (Conservative) on Thursday, 1 March 2012 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Livestock: Waste Disposal

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what guidance to regulate the disposal of carcasses infected with BSE (a) was in place in 1996 and (b) is in place.

Answer: In 1996, the statutory options for disposal of carcases infected with BSE were rendering, incineration or burial. At the time, the Government's policy for disposing of BSE suspects was by incineration wherever possible. When burial was permitted it should have complied with the then applicable Codes of Good Agricultural Practice in order to protect the water, soil and air.The current legal requirements are set down in EU Regulation 1069/2009 and require BSE infected carcases, as category 1 material, to be disposed in an approved incinerator, either directly or following processing by pressure rendering.

Secondary information