EU Plans Strict New Rules On Animal Waste

AP 19oct00

BRUSSELS --The European Union laid out a new proposal Thursday to tighten controls on animal waste, promised after several food scares in recent years revealed such waste was routinely mixed into livestock feed.

The proposed rules would consolidate 18 existing E.U. rules on animal waste to try to do a better job of filtering out contaminants in the food chain, E.U. officials said.

"Right now, everything ... can enter the food chain," said Paola Colombo, an E.U. expert on animal waste.

Over the last three years it was discovered that animal waste such as contaminated material from dead cattle suffering from "mad cow" disease was routinely used in making animal feeds.

Growing evidence that sewage sludge containing residues of dangerous bacteria, antibiotics and chemicals such as dioxin, the cancer-causing substance recently discovered in Belgian animal feed, provoked international bans of European meat and dairy products.

"Sixteen million tons of animal waste is produced per year in Europe," said Colombo. "We have to find alternative solutions which are safe," she said.

The proposal calls for separating animal materials into different categories.

The first, or "high risk" category, would have to be incinerated by E.U. approved plants. This includes diseased or contaminated animal carcasses.

Other animal byproducts including manure and non-diseased dead farm animals will also have to be treated or incinerated.

Slaughtered-animal byproducts which pass E.U. inspection rules and treatment can be used as feed materials or pet food, while other treated byproducts could be used for bio-fuels, soap or glue products.

The E.U. said the aim of the proposed rules would reduce the risk of having another "mad cow" or dioxin crisis as well as boosting consumer confidence in food safety, which remains low.

The E.U.'s executive office said the plan would cost about EUR2.8 billion a year for the 15-nation E.U. to clean up the 16.1 million tons of animal waste, of which 1.8 million tons is contaminated.

As result of the recent food scares, Britain, France and Belgium have already adopted strict new rules on animal waste.