Supplementary memorandum submitted by
Defra
Further details of the response to
the national collection scheme for fallen livestock, from farmers
(Questions 64-65 refer).
Defra and Devolved Administrations sent letters
to all livestock farmers before Easter requesting expressions
of interest in joining a national fallen stock scheme. Responses
as of 30 May (including some extrapolation) are summarised below.
Table 1: Numbers of holdings by size band
which were sent letter.
Size | Small
| Medium | Large
| All sizes |
England | 43,848 | 42,833
| 18,723 | 105,404 |
Wales | 11,600 | 6,227
| 6,237 | 24,064 |
Scotland | 6,490 | 6,275
| 5,078 | 17,843 |
N Ireland | 6,718 | 18,077
| 2,878 | 27,673 |
UK | 68,656 | 73,412
| 32,916 | 174,984 |
Based on June census returns. Excludes holdings stating that
they no longer have livestock or where letter returned by Post
Office and Scottish holdings in Highlands and Islands that will
be classified as remote.
Table 2: Numbers of holdings responding positively classified
by their response and size band.
Size | Small |
Medium | Large |
All sizes |
England | 4,063 | 16,512
| 11,914 | 32,489 |
Wales | 1,624 | 2,491
| 4,491 | 8,606 |
Scotland | 773 | 3,159
| 3,962 | 7,894 |
N Ireland | 1,452 | 7,384
| 1,717 | 10,553 |
UK | 7,912 | 29,546
| 22,084 | 59,542 |
Table 3: Percentage of holdings responding positively
classified by their response and size band.
Size | Small |
Medium | Large |
All sizes |
England | 9.3 |
38.5 | 63.6 | 30.8
|
Wales | 14.0 | 40.0
| 72.0 | 36.0 |
Scotland | 11.9 | 50.3
| 78.2 | 44.3 |
N Ireland | 21.6 | 40.8
| 59.7 | 38.1 |
UK | 11.5 | 40.2
| 67.1 | 34.0 |
Table 4: Amount raised from subscriptions based on positive
responses. £m
Size | Small |
Medium | Large |
All sizes |
England | 0.20 |
1.60 | 2.33 | 4.13
|
Wales | 0.08 | 0.25
| 0.90 | 1.23 |
Scotland | 0.04 | 0.31
| 0.77 | 1.12 |
N Ireland | 0.07 | 0.74
| 0.34 | 1.15 |
UK | 0.39 | 2.90
| 4.34 | 7.63 |
Using £50 per small holding, £100 per medium holding,
£200 per large holding
The rules that apply to the disposal of ash from
both small-scale and large-scale incinerators (Questions 103-105
refer).
For the purposes of this Guidance Note, "residues"
means any liquid or solid material generated by the incineration
or co-incineration process, the waste water treatment or other
processes within the incineration or co-incineration plant. They
include bottom ash and slag, fly ash and boiler dust.
Residues resulting from the operation of the incineration
or co-incineration plant must be minimised in their amount and
harmfulness. Residues must be recycled, where appropriate, directly
in the plant or outside in accordance with relevant Community
legislation.
Residues from incinerators are controlled wastes
unless the incinerators burn agricultural waste (ie fallen stock).
Controlled wastes must be:
(a) consigned for disposal at a licensed landfill facility;
or
(b) only if a waste management licence is obtained, disposed
to land.
Ash from incinerators which burn whole ruminant
carcases or other Specified Risk Material may not be disposed
to land, and must be disposed of to a suitably licensed landfill
site (ie one that holds a waste management licence under Section
35 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 or a permit granted
under the Pollution Prevention and Control (England and Wales)
Regulations 2000 or the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland)
Regulations 2000.
We are considering separately whether we should
continue to permit the ash from non-SRM incinerators to be applied
to land. However, until such decisions are taken, ash from incinerators
which burn non-SRM material may be spread to land if it is derived
from agricultural waste. However, the requirement for a waste
management licence effectively prevents the application of non-agricultural
waste eg from pet crematoria to land.
Transport and intermediate storage of dry residues in the
form of dust must take place in such a way as to prevent dispersal
in the environment (eg closed containers).
Details of the circumstances in which waste meat
from small shops could be treated as household waste (Questions
111, 119 and 123 refer).
The EU Regulation defines catering waste as waste food from
households and restaurants. Waste from retail outlets cannot therefore
be considered as catering waste. However, we secured a transition
period until the end of 2005 which allows for former foodstuffs
to be collected, treated or disposed of in a landfill site as
though they were catering waste. If they are to be disposed of
in a landfill site, measures must be taken to ensure that raw
meat and raw fish is excluded.
We recognise that the requirement to exclude raw meat and
raw fish from foodstuffs being sent to landfill may cause practical
difficulties for some retailers and small food manufacturers.
We also recognise that it would be inappropriate for small retailers
(corner shops and garages) to have to dispose of small quantities
of raw meat products. A proportionate approach to enforcement
will therefore be taken to ensure that the burden on small retail
outlets is minimised.
A Task Force is to be established which will be composed
of representatives of the relevant industries and enforcement
bodies. Its main aim will be to develop an implementation plan
which will include guidance on how the requirements can be applied
in a proportionate manner. However, the Task Force will also be
working with relevant organisations to ensure that by the end
of 2005, former foodstuffs are no longer sent to landfill but
are treated in alternative outlets such as biogas, composting
or rendering plants.
Details of the extra costs the animal by-products
regulation will impose on the food processing industry (Question
120 refers).
The transition period will maintain existing controls in
respect of food processing premises. Some of the waste from such
premises is already considered to be animal by-products under
the Animal By-Products Order 1999 and landfill is not a permitted
disposal route at present. Other waste (waste from the production
of products which are not intended to be cooked before they are
eaten) is considered to be catering waste; this material will
still be able to be disposed of to landfill during the transition
period. There should not therefore be any immediate implications
for food processing premises by way of extra cost.
13 June 2003
|