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Written question asked by Robbie Moore (Conservative) on Monday, 9 March 2026, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 12 March 2026 (named day). It was answered by Mary Creagh (Labour) on Monday, 16 March 2026 on behalf of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Food: Waste Disposal

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what assessment her Department has made of the potential contribution of black soldier fly bioconversion to delivering the Environmental Improvement Plan’s objectives on circular economy and landfill reduction, the implementation of Simpler Recycling for food waste, and the National Planning Policy Framework’s aims for farm diversification and rural economic growth; what evidence underpins the classification of black soldier fly insects kept solely for organic waste bioconversion as farmed animals under the Animal By-Products Regulations; and whether the Department has considered alternative regulatory classifications for such systems where the insects and their outputs are not intended to enter the human or animal food chain.

Answer

We are committed to ending the throwaway society, boosting recycling rates which have stalled for too long, and driving growth through the Government’s Plan for Change. There are no current plans to review regulations that restrict insects from being used to process organic waste streams. Our waste management regulations also play a crucial role in protecting UK biosecurity and reducing the risk of disease.

Defra commissioned a Life Cycle Assessment to assess the sustainability of insect protein compared to other animal feeds. This research also considered the use of food waste as a substrate for the insect larvae, although not the extent to which this would contribute to food waste diversion from landfill.

Black soldier fly is in scope of the animal by-products (ABP) regulations as a farmed animal when reared for food or feed production, or when deceased. It then becomes Category 3 ABP, which is defined as low-risk material, provided it came from healthy animals. Controls are required for the prohibition on feeding catering waste to farmed animals as well as handling, processing, and permitted uses of Cat 3 material.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
118936
Session
2024-26
Subjects
Food Insects Recycling Waste disposal
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk