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In August the DOUE published Regulation (EU) 749/2011, laying down the health rules applicable to animal byproducts not intended for human consumption.
Regarding the swine industry, said regulation introduces some new information such as the treatment of manure from pigs and poultry with quicklime or an alternative method of housing carcasses and other byproducts on swine farms called “The Bunker System”.
Regarding manure treatment with quicklime, EFSA published a report on July 8, 2010 which concluded that the proposed mix of quicklime and manure to be a safe process to inactivate viral and bacterial pathogens, keeping in mind the foreseen use of the byproduct: the application of the quicklime-manure mix to land. In its opinion of 21 January 2009 on the bunker system project, EFSA concluded that the information provided was not a sufficient basis for considering the second option as a safe means of disposal of animal by- products from pigs. Regarding the first option, based on hydrolysis, EFSA was also not able to deliver a final assessment. However, EFSA indicated that the hydrolyzed material would not pose an additional risk, provided it was further processed according to the health rules for Category 2 materials. Therefore, the hydrolysis of animal by-products on the site of a holding should be permitted under conditions which prevent the transmission of diseases communicable to humans or animals and which avoid adverse effects to the environment. In particular, the hydrolysis should take place in a closed, leak-proof container which is separated from any farmed animals on the same site as a third option. However, since the hydrolysis methodology does not constitute a processing method, the specific conditions for the processing of animal by-products in such plants should not apply. The container should be regularly checked for the absence of corrosion, under official supervision, so that leakage of materials into the ground is prevented.
DOUE/ European Union.
http://eur-lex.europa.eu