Archived press release

Designated landfill sites not being used to take animal carcasses. communities face unnecessary pollution fears.

25 April 2001

Britain's best landfill sites are not being fully used to deal with animal carcasses, Friends of the Earth reveals today. As a result communities living near mass burning and burial sites face unnecessary health risks. Yesterday, Environment Minister Michael Meacher, told the House of Commons that the Governments disposal priority was to maximise the use of rendering, followed by “incineration in properly controlled industrial plants and burial in registered landfill sites''.

The Environmental Services Association, the waste industry's governing body, has told Friends of the Earth that there is plenty of 'consented' capacity to deal with all the animals culled as a result of foot and mouth. This includes capacity in the worst affected areas [1]. MAFF, the Environment Agency and the ESA have agreed a protocol stating that the disposal of foot and mouth infected animals is safe in designated landfill sites. FOE research shows that some sites are reluctant to take animal carcasses.

The Environment Agency has produced a list of scores of landfill sites “suitable for the disposal of carcasses” (attached list, http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/envinfo/fmd/landfill.htm). But some are refusing to take carcasses and others have not been asked.

FOE surveyed some of the biggest waste companies. Cleanaway says it will NOT accept any animal carcasses at any of its sites because of adverse publicity and lack of assurances from the Government. Both Biffa and Shanks say that some of their listed sites are taking carcasses,some have not been asked and others are refusing until they get assurances from MAFF and local people are informed.

Mike Childs, Campaigns Director at Friends of the Earth, said:
“ Local communities near mass burial and burning sites are going through hell because carcasses are not going to licenced landfill sites designated by the Environment Agency,even though they have plenty of space. The Army would surely have been better deployed organising the transport of these animals in sealed and disinfected lorries,rather than building mass graves and giant pyres. The Government is failing to ensure that these carcasses are disposed of in the safest way possible."

[1] An agreement has been reached between MAFF, the Environment Agency and the Environmental Services Association that "Carcasses of cattle born before 1 August 1996 may not be buried or disposed of in landfill sites on the advice of the BSE Advisory Committee (SEAC)." These cattle should instead go to incinerators or rendering plants.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust