Vol. 556 No. 5
2 Mr. Sargent asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will meet experts and formulate policy urgently in the area of sterilising and minimising waste caused by SRM and BSE infected carcases using the combined techno logies of alkaline hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion which, unlike incineration, is proven to kill the BSE prion and has satisfied customers throughout the USA, Europe and Asia. [20917/02]
Current EU legislation provides for the disposal of BSE positive material either by burial or by incineration. The methods of disposal referred to by the Deputy are not currently approved at EU level for the disposal of SRM or BSE infected carcases. Most member states either incinerate BSE positive carcases directly or render them into meat and bonemeal, which is then incinerated. However, there are currently no suitable incineration facilities in Ireland and the integrated pollution control licences of the three rendering plants currently approved for rendering SRM do not permit them to render BSE positive material.
The Deputy will be aware that prior to October 2000, BSE positive carcases were deep buried on the farm upon which the disease was discovered. At that time I decided to terminate the practice of burying these carcases to allay concerns expressed.
In the absence of appropriate disposal facilities in Ireland, a decision was made to keep these carcases in a secure and dedicated cold storage facility until such time as a mechanism for their ultimate disposal could be found. Against this background, officials from my Department met on several occasions with commercial promoters for the alkaline hydrolysis technology and have seen a demonstration of the system. My Department is prepared to keep an open mind on the technology and indeed any other technology which may offer the possibility of disposing of BSE positive carcases in a manner which is consistent with animal health, public health and environmental legislation. However, before technology can be used for the disposal of positive BSE material, the process must be cleared by the EU's Scientific Steering Committee. Following approval by that committee, it would be necessary to secure the relevant EPA and local authority approvals in Ireland.
Non-BSE infected SRM material is at present rendered to a temperature of 133 degrees centigrade under three bars of pressure for 20 minutes at three dedicated rendering plants and the resultant meat and bonemeal is exported to EU countries for incineration. There is no significant backlog of this material for disposal.
I am not sure if the Minister's reply is absolutely up to date or if he wishes to refer to other than the European Union. Is he aware that alkaline hydrolysis technology is fully approved by the United States Department of Agriculture and that the World Health Organisation recommends a combination of alkaline and heat treatment as the only method known to completely destroy the prion, which is the main problem with BSE? Has he had regard to the Euro pean legislation in which the Scientific Steering Committee approved new technologies and approves alkaline hydrolysis? Is he saying that he has other information, because I believe my information is up to date?
Notwithstanding the newness of the technology, although it has been around since 1992, will the Minister accept that Ireland must be a pioneer in this regard rather than follow other countries in which agriculture may not play as important a role as it does in Ireland? Given the importance for marketing in Ireland of maintaining incineration-free status, will he take into account that we would be very severely disadvantaged compared to countries like New Zealand, which has a clear policy and an understanding that it prefers not to have incineration, primarily for the international marketability of its agricultural produce? Will the Minister be more pioneering in this regard? Will he meet again with these people, not with a view to being aware of their existence but to harnessing the technology and letting Ireland lead rather than follow the EU in the minimisation of BSE special risk waste material?
I confirm that I met the company. I did so with a view to availing of the technology. I am open to availing of new technology as it comes along, particularly when we are constrained with other systems of disposal. I encouraged the company to make an application to the European scientific committee to get approval for this system, which would destroy the prion and would be suitable as a rendering process. The European scientific steering committee has not yet given such approval. If and when it does I will be the first person to seek its implementation.
One of my concerns about the use of alkaline hydrolysis relates to the fact that the amount of material for disposal after the process is increased by 600%. One is then faced with the problem of disposing of the residue, because of the vast amount of water used in the alkaline hydrolysis process.
May I briefly—
I am sorry, Deputy, we have used six minutes on this question.
May I discuss this matter privately with the Minister afterwards?
Perhaps.
3 Dr. Upton asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food if he will classify all BSE positive and specified risk material retained or stored in Irish facilities as hazardous; if he is satisfied that material stored at a location (details supplied) in County Tipperary does not represent a threat to human health; the restrictions and guidelines which are in place for the storage and transportation of such material; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [20810/02]
I want to assure the Deputy and the House that BSE positive material is handled to the highest standards in accordance with the appropriate legislation, which reflects the expert views of the EU Scientific Steering Committee. The appropriate legislation is EU veterinary legislation under which the only approved means of disposal of such material are burial or incineration.
My Department discontinued the practice of burial of BSE carcases in late 2000 and in the absence of any suitable incineration facility within the State, it has been necessary to make interim storage arrangements, pending a resolution of the problem of ultimate disposal of the carcases. Since November 2000, such carcases have been frozen and stored in a secure, dedicated cold store, owned by the Department and located in County Tipperary.
These carcases are double wrapped in polypropylene bags and inserted into strong body bags prior to being transported to the cold store on metal cages aboard dedicated transport vehicles. I am satisfied my Department has taken every possible precaution in relation to this operation and that it is complying fully with current national and EU animal health, public health, planning and environmental legislation in relation to this matter.
I assure the Deputy that my Department will continue to manage all relevant aspects of the BSE issue in a manner which protects public health, animal health and the environment, in conjunction as necessary with other statutory bodies. In this regard, Ireland's handling of all aspects of BSE is subject to ongoing scrutiny from various perspectives by independent bodies such as the EU's Food and Veterinary Office, the Food and Safety Authority of Ireland and others, and has been recognised time and again as comprehensive, rigorous and responsible.
I thank the Minister for his detailed reply. However, my question was whether BSE positive material is classified as hazardous, if there is a requirement to do that and, accordingly, if there is a requirement to inform the appropriate local authority where the material is stored.
I have no doubt the Minister is aware of ongoing Government research in the United Kingdom which is to be completed in 2007. That research is examining the possibility of contaminated soil, for example, being a source of infection. My question relates to the possibility of, for instance, fire in the cold store and the consequences for the local environment if that were to happen.
Is the waste classified as hazardous, does the county council know about the storage of the material and has it given approval for it?
The matter is not classified as hazardous because this material comes under TSE Regulation 999 of 2001 and will be dealt with by the animal by-products Council Regulation 1774/2002. It is not, therefore, covered by the waste directives. Under national legislation the designation of waste material is a matter for the Minister for the Environment and Local Government. However, I do not wish to pass the buck. The fact remains that this is not classified as hazardous material and it does not come under the waste directives. It is regulated by the veterinary directives and legislation, and we are complying fully with those veterinary regulations.
As far as the designation of waste material as hazardous is concerned, this comes under Council Directive 75/442/EEC which excludes from the scope of the directive animal carcases where their disposal is covered by other legislation. The county manager was immediately informed that we had terminated the burial of carcases and were storing them pending disposal.
Further to the Minister's reply and for future reference, since the number of BSE cases continues to increase, are there plans for the expansion of this cold storage facility, are there other cold storage facilities in the country or will there be a need to provide further storage facilities in the interim?
There is adequate room in the storage facility concerned for the foreseeable future. We expect the number of BSE cases to decline sharply in the next couple of years. The age profile is increasing substantially and that is welcome.
In late 2000 when burial was terminated, in a reply to a parliamentary question from Deputy Upton on 16 May 2001, I stated that there were 87 BSE positive carcases in frozen storage. This matter is well known. We have a problem and that is why alkaline hydrolysis is so attractive to me. We have no way of disposing of BSE positive carcases now.
I assure the House and the Deputy there is adequate room for the foreseeable future in the cold room.
