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Scottish Executive
Environment and Rural Affairs Department
Food and Agriculture Group
Pentland House
47 Robb’s Loan
Edinburgh EH14 1TY
Telephone: 0131-244 6412
Fax: 0131-244 4755
martin.morgan@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
http://www.scotland.gov.uk
19 March 2003
To: Interested parties, organisations etc
in Scotland
Dear Sir/Madam
IMPLEMENTATION IN SCOTLAND OF THE EU
ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS REGULATION : REMOTE AREA DEFINITION
Further to my letter of 7 February I am
writing to seek your views on the Executive’s proposed
definition of the “remote area” when bringing this
EU Regulation into effect in Scotland.
The EU Regulation allows Member States
to permit the burial and open-burning of the carcases of fallen
stock animals only in “remote areas” or during an
outbreak of notifiable disease if there is a lack of capacity
at rendering plants and incinerators or because transport
would spread the disease. The Commission was extremely reluctant
to include such a derogation and would only accept that burial
and burning should be permitted where the carcase is more
than 100 km away from a disposal site or the collection centre
and the stocking density is very low. Furthermore we are oblige
to inform the Commission how we intend to apply this derogation
and it has been made clear that if member states go beyond
those qualifying requirements there is every likelihood that
the derogation provision will be withdrawn.
Consequently we intend to interpret “remote
areas” as those parishes in Scotland listed in the enclosed
paper. A map with the proposed “remote area” shaded
is also enclosed for reference purposes. I should stress that
it is not the Executive’s intention to promote an increase
in the level of on farm burial or burning. These options should
only be considered once all other alternative disposal options
(e.g. installation of on-farm incinerators) have been discounted.
Certain guidelines, as outlined in the PEPFAA Code, will also
have to be fully observed to ensure adequate compliance with
environmental protection and public health considerations.
Please send your comments to my colleague
Ian Murdoch at the above address by 15 May 2003 at the latest.
Please note that the deadline for
comments on the proposals relating to other aspects of the
EU Regulation implementation in Scotland contained in my letter
of 7 February has also been extended to that date.
You will note that the consultation period
now ends after the date when the EU Regulation comes into
operation. It is the Executive’s intention that the current
derogation for burial (i.e. small quantities of animal waste
in places difficult to access) as stipulated in the Animal
By-Products Order 1999 will continue to apply until new regulations
are made after this consultation exercise.
At the end of the consultation period,
we intend to make copies of the comments received publicly
available. It is assumed that your reply can be made publicly
available unless you indicate clearly in your response that
you wish all or part of it to be excluded from this arrangement.
Copies of the comments will be made available at the main
Executive Library at Saughton House, Edinburgh. Copies will
be supplied on request but there will be an administrative
charge to cover copying and postage. To enable requests to
be dealt with efficiently and to avoid undue delay for those
calling at the Library in person, it would be appreciated
if personal callers could give at least 24 hours notice of
their requirements.
Yours faithfully
Martin Morgan
Beef Exports, BSE & Animal Waste Branch
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