Mr. Alan W. WilliamsTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many animal rendering plants there are in Britain; what are the procedures for the treatment of their effluent; how many discharge their effluent into the domestic sewerage system; and how many spray their effluent on to agricultural land. [34509]
§ Mr. ClappisonThere are 36 rendering plants in Great Britain, authorised under the Animal By-Products Order 1992. Treatment of effluent will normally include the removal of solids and will reflect conditions in trade effluent consents issued by sewerage undertakers for 265W discharges to sewer, or conditions in consents from the Environment Agency for discharges direct to receiving waters. No central records of the number of rendering plants discharging effluent to sewer, or spraying it on agricultural land, are held by my Department or the Environment Agency.