HL Deb 09 February 1998 vol 585 cc140-1WA
The Earl of Shrewsbury

asked Her Majesty's Government:

Whether they were satisfied that:

  1. (a) the practice of spreading condensate produced by the rendering of cull cow cattle onto pasture WA 141 which is grazed by farm animals is completely safe; and
  2. (b) that there is no danger to the health of humans who come into contact with such condensate.
[HL287]

The Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (Lord Donoughue)

A small number of rendering plants spread condensate on farmland. In response to concerns about the practice, the Environment Agency commissioned a risk assessment report by independent technical consultants about the safety of condensate spread from a plant.

The Spongiform Encephalopathy Advisory Committee has reviewed the risk assessment and concluded that the risk to human health from this practice was negligible. The committee noted that additional analyses of the possible protein content of condensate are being undertaken and asked to see the results of these before reaching a conclusion on the safety of this practice with regard to grazing animals.