Jim Daly (Cork South West, Fine Gael)
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222. To ask the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine if hotel waste can in any circumstances be fed to pigs; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [44833/14]

Simon Coveney (Cork South Central, Fine Gael)
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Animal by-products (ABP) are defined as entire bodies or parts of animals, products of animal origin or other products obtained from animals which are not intended for human consumption. and are a potential source of risk to public and animal health.   Because of the associated risk and to protect both human and animal health, the use of ABP is covered by comprehensive EU Regulations (Nos. 1069 of 2009 and 142 of 2011). These Regulations ensure that ABP is disposed of safely and that controls are implemented to ensure this material is not illegally diverted back into the human food chain or animal feed chain.

Under the EU Regulations, ABP includes catering waste i.e. all waste food, including used cooking oil, originating in restaurants, catering facilities and kitchens, including central kitchens. This includes hotel food waste. Article 11(1)(b) of Regulation 1069/2009  specifically prohibits the feeding of farmed animals with catering waste or with feed material containing or derived from catering waste.  

The original ban on feeding catering waste (also known as ‘swill’) to farmed animals was introduced in 2001 to mitigate risk following the UK Foot and Mouth disease outbreak. The feeding of food waste to animals is a risk factor in diseases such as Foot and Mouth Disease or Classical Swine Fever. The adverse economic consequences of such an outbreak on the island of Ireland would of course be hugely significant.

For these reasons, under the relevant EU Regulations, hotel waste can not in any circumstances be fed to pigs.