Animal waste categorisation

Animal by-products (ABPs) are divided into 3 categories, based on the risks they pose.

Category 1 ABPs – are classed as high risk.

• Carcasses and body parts from zoo and circus animals or pets
• Animals used in experiments
• International catering waste
• Animals that are contaminated due to illegal treatments
• Wild animals suspected of being infected with a disease that humans or animals could contract carcasses and body parts from zoo and circus animals or pets
• Carcasses and all body parts of animals suspected of being infected with TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy)
• Body parts that pose a particular disease risk

Category 2 ABPs – are classed as high risk.

• Digestive tract content
• Manure
• Dead livestock carcasses
• Poultry that is un hatched and has died in its shell
• Animals killed for disease control purposes
• Carcasses containing residues from authorised treatments

Category 3 ABPs – are classed as low risk.

• Aquatic animals, aquatic/invertebrates
• Products or foods of animal origin meant for human consumption but withdrawn for commercial reasons
• Domestic catering waste
• Carcasses or body parts passed fit for humans to eat, at a slaughterhouse
• Eggs, egg by-products, hatchery by-products and eggshells
• Shells from shellfish with soft tissue
• Hides and skins from slaughterhouses
• Animal hides, skins, hooves, feathers, wool, horns, and hair that had no signs of infectious disease at death

Processed animal proteins (PAP) are animal proteins processed from any Category 3 ABP except:

• Collagen
• Gelatine
• Eggs and egg products (including eggshells)
• Blood products
• Milk, colostrum or products derived from them
• Dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate of animal origin
• Hydrolyzed proteins Sourced from https://www.gov.uk/guidance/animal-by-product-categories-site-approval-hygiene-and-disposal