§ Lord Greavesasked Her Majesty's Government:
What environmental health, pollution and other legislation controls the burning of dead farm animals; who is responsible for giving permits for such activity; and how such legislation is being applied to the present mass burning of animals. [HL1757]
§ The Minister of State, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Baroness Hayman)In England the legislation which governs the burning of animal carcasses in a pyre is to varying degees the Animal By-Products Order 1999, the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Water Resources Act 1991, the Clean Air Act 1993 and the Groundwater Regulations 1998. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's Codes of Good Agricultural Practice for the Protection of Air and Water are also relevant.
In general, the burning of animal carcasses is permitted only in restricted circumstances. But where there is a lack of capacity at rendering premises or incinerators, my right honourable friend the Minister may serve a notice under the Animal By-Products Order 1999 requiring the person in charge of the carcasses to dispose of them by burning. Any such disposal must comply with the Groundwater Regulations. Each proposed burning site will be subject to a risk assessment under the regulations and, if the site is considered suitable from a water quality perspective for disposal of ashes, the Environment Agency will issue an authorisation to MAFF.