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Health and Safety Directorate

Animal By Products (ABP)

ABPs are animal carcasses, parts of animals, or other materials which come from animals but are not meant for humans to eat.

They can either be destroyed or can be used to make compost, biogas or other products, or used diagnostic, or research activities.

 

Applicable environmental protection legislation divides ABPs into 3 categories, based on the risks they pose:

Category 1 ABPs are classed as high risk.

Category 2 ABPs are classed as medium risk.

Category 3 ABPs are classed as low risk.

Examples for these categories can be found at: Gov UK Guidance.

 

The Health & Safety Directorate have registered the three main Queen Mary campuses in London with the Animal & Plant Health Agency (part of DEFRA) and most of the three categories of ABPs are covered (education activities using ABPs are mainly exempt from registration but diagnostic or research activities are generally not).

Registration document  (accessible with a Queen Mary Login): Registration Document.

Registration reference for each of the three main London campuses are found in the last text page of the document.

 

Duties to ensure ABP hygiene is maintained on our campuses include:

  • Keep unprocessed ABPs in category-specific rooms (i.e. divided by floor-to-ceiling walls or partitions)
  • Keep raw ABP material separate from any processed final products
  • Clean and disinfect the room and any containers or vehicles used for storing or transporting ABPs
  • Have a cleaning plan for all areas where ABPs are handled
  • Regularly inspect the areas and all equipment to make sure they're clean, and record the results
  • Make sure all (contaminated) clothing and footwear are disinfected after use
  • Make sure those handling ABPs change protective clothing when moving between areas that use different categories of ABP
  • Have a waste-water disposal system*
  • Apply the required disposal method noted by APHA guidance for the type / amount of ABP
  • Unload and load ABPs in a manner to avoid spills or releases
  • Have a pest control programme as protection against insects, rats, birds, and other pests*
  • Ensure staff and others handling ABPs are trained, an training is recorded. List of staff owning other livestock should be kept in case a notifiable disease breaks out
  • If consignments of ABPs or derived products (not waste) are moved out of Queen Mary premises and are above specified thresholds, packages should be labelled as designated; the person responsible must have a commercial document and keep it for 2 years; a log-book for consignments should be kept

*These are provided by Estates and Facilities Directorate in applicable buildings, please check with Estates and Facilities Directorate helpdesk if unclear.

 

See full details at: Gov UK Guidance.

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