The European Fat Processors and Renderers Association (EFPRA) has expressed concerns that Brexit may obstruct the movement of what’s known as ‘Category 1’ material to the UK for incineration.
Yesterday (Thursday, March 7) AgriLand published an article that inadvertently implied that ‘Category 1’ material might include meat typically destined for human consumption; AgriLand is happy to clarify that this is not the case.
The EFPRA raised its concerns this week, highlighting that the UK’s infrastructure for incineration of animal by-products was more “developed” than other EU member states.
The association is calling on the European Commission to put a regulation in place that will ensure that these materials can continue to be shipped to the UK, even after a hard Brexit.
“The EFPRA has informed the commission that, since the early 1990s, unlike other EU countries, the UK developed an important infrastructure to incinerate specifically Category 1 meat and bone meal,” the association said in a statement.
“Hence, for many years, several rendering companies in countries in the EU have been shipping Category 1 meat and bone meal to the UK for safe disposal and incineration in that country,” it continued.
The EFPRA statement went on to explain that: “A hard Brexit, which means a Brexit without a transitional period, would mean that shipping meat and bone meal to the UK would no longer be possible.
“This will undoubtedly constitute a big problem for the rendering industry in Ireland and mainland Europe, as the 27 other member states do not have enough incineration capacity for the safe disposal of Category 1 meat and bone meal,” it concluded.