Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 24 March 2004
21 Mr. Gogarty asked the Minister for Agriculture and Food the extent to which his Department has familiarised itself with and availed of alkaline hydrolysis in disposing of agriculturally derived waste; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [9200/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraIn April 2002, the Government established an interdepartmental and interagency committee to consider viable options for the disposal of meat and bonemeal, MBM. The committee's report, which was presented to Government and published earlier this year, identified alkaline hydrolysis, coupled with anaerobic digestion, as possible disposal method for MBM and other animal by-products and recommended that the use of this technology be kept under review.
Although EU regulations envisage the use of animal by-products in the production of biogas, the use of alkaline hydrolysis technology has not yet been formally approved by the EU. It is expected that alkaline hydrolysis will be formally approved in the near future. Officials of my Department have met industry representatives interested in offering alkaline hydrolysis as an alternative method of disposal of animal waste in Ireland.
While my Department will advocate the use of EU approved disposal options for animal by-products, the decision to establish such facilities will ultimately be a commercial one for the industry.
