Animal Waste
Businesses and organisations that work with animals of any species and sizes will produce various types of animal waste. Each one creates a wide variety of waste types – from farms with fields full of sheep and cattle to pet shops selling goldfish and rabbits, to schools with gerbils.
All kinds of animal waste must be managed safely as it can be potentially hazardous. This involves storing animal waste in appropriate containers, arranging removal by licensed waste carriers, and appropriate disposal. Irresponsible management of animal waste can expose people and the environment to potential harm.
Learn all about animal waste and how to manage it responsibly and legally within your business. If you need a hand getting rid of any kind of waste animal products or have questions about it then one of our friendly experts can help. Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today for a free quote.
What is animal waste?
Animal waste covers by-products or materials from any type of animal that’s not used as meat or for human consumption. The most common example of animal waste is often manure. It can also include litter, food from animals that can’t be eaten (such as gone-off eggs), and dead animals.
There are health hazards associated with handling and managing animal waste. Many kinds of animal waste are pollutants and may contaminate nearby ground and water if disposed of improperly. Therefore, safe storage, removal, and disposal is necessary to protect the environment and people exposed to any kind of animal waste.
These are some of the main examples of animal waste:
- Animal parts – such as bones, hooves, and horns
- Animal carcasses – bodies of dead farm animals or pets
- Manure, faeces, and litter – from any type of animals
- Animal products – eggs, milk, and meat not fit for human consumption
- Used animal bedding – straw, hay, and other contaminated bedding materials
- Wash water – contaminated liquid used to clean out any animal’s habitat
Who needs animal waste removal services?
Any business that has animals of any species, size, and number that it’s responsible for must arrange commercial waste removal of any animal-related waste. This could simply be regular collection and disposal of used animal bedding, leftover food products, and manure, or less frequent removals of animal parts and carcasses.
Some of the main organisations that require animal waste removal services are:
How to dispose of animal waste
All animal waste should be separated from other materials, removed by licensed waste carriers, and disposed of safely and responsibly. Your business should have specific bins or containers to store different kinds of animal waste to protect people from exposure to potentially hazardous materials. Then arrange professionals such as Business Waste to remove and dispose of the animal waste.
How to dispose of animal waste in the UK depends on the type of waste. These are a few potential animal waste disposal methods for specific materials:
- Animal parts and carcasses – most animal parts and carcasses are incinerated in line with relevant regulations. This reduces the risk of contamination and exposure to potentially hazardous waste.
- Manure and animal faeces – some kinds of manure might be used as fertiliser on fields to enrich soil. Other types of animal faeces can also be incinerated.
- Animal products – inedible animal products such as eggs and meat not fit for human consumption are essentially food waste. These are disposed of by composting or anaerobic digestion, which generates energy from waste.
- Bedding – animal bedding like blankets and towels can be cleaned, donated, and reused. The likes of soiled straw used for animal bedding is often incinerated.
- Wash water and cleaning products – liquid waste should be stored in IBC containers and disposed of via dewatering, sedimentation, solidification, incineration, or other liquid waste disposal methods.
Animal waste disposal regulations
The Animal By-Products (Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 covers the disposal of many kinds of animal waste. There are three categories of animal by-products based on their risk levels:
- Category 1 – high-risk animal waste including animal carcasses and body parts infected with TSE (transmissible spongiform encephalopathy) or a disease humans or animals could contract, used in experiments, and contaminated due to illegal treatments.
- Category 2 – high-risk animal waste such as animals rejected from abattoirs that have infectious diseases, carcasses containing residues from authorised treatments, unhatched poultry that died in its shell, carcasses killed due to disease control, carcasses of dead livestock, and manure.
- Category 3 – low-risk animal waste including carcasses or body parts fit for human consumption, shells from shellfish with soft tissue, eggs and egg by-products, aquatic animals, aquatic and terrestrial invertebrates, and hides and skins from slaughterhouses.
Arrange animal waste collection
Book collections and disposal of any type and amount of animal waste from your business anywhere in the UK. We work with a nationwide network of licensed waste carriers to find the best, cost-effective, and reliable solution to get rid of your animal waste.
This includes providing free bins and containers to store your waste. There are no delivery or rental fees, you only pay for collection. Regular daily, weekly, and fortnightly removals are available to suit your schedule. We’ll provide a free no-obligation quote tailored to your specific needs.
Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online today. One of our friendly experts can discuss your needs for getting rid of animal waste and advise on the best solution and next steps. Get in touch if you’ve got any questions or want more information.
Animal waste FAQs
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How much animal waste is produced each year?
It’s estimated that livestock animals around the world produce 3.12 billion tonnes of manure every year. Around 127 million tonnes of this are nitrogen. The USA alone generates more than 1.4 billion tonnes of manure from livestock annually. More than 50 million tonnes of meat from animals also go to waste globally each year as well.
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Where can I dispose of animal waste at home?
Types of pet waste such as cat litter should be bagged up and disposed of in your household general waste bin. It must never be put in a recycling bin. If you’ve got old pet bedding, toys, or other goods in decent condition you could donate them to a local charity shop for reuse.
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What should you do with dead animals?
What to do with a dead animal depends on the type of animal, how it died, and where. You should report any dead animal you find on the road to your local council. Domestic pets can be buried in your garden or on private land that you own.
Small wild animals like rabbits, hedgehogs, mice, rats, and small birds can be double-bagged and disposed of in a household general waste bin. Most large livestock will need to be removed from a farm and taken for incineration.
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