Abattoirs and meat processing facilities generate significant volumes of animal by-products as a routine part of their operations. From stomach contents and intestines to hides, blood, and low-grade offal, the management of these materials is a highly regulated area governed by detailed provisions of the UK Animal By-Products Regulations. Martland’s Fallen Stock provides ABP collection services for processing facilities, supporting operators to maintain compliance with their regulatory obligations through reliable, documented collection arrangements.
Understanding ABP Categories in a Processing Context
The animal by-products generated during slaughter and meat processing span all three regulatory categories, depending on the nature of the material and the species from which it originates. Category 1 material – the highest-risk category – includes specified risk materials from bovine animals and must be incinerated at an approved facility. Category 2 material includes stomach and intestinal contents and certain condemned materials. Category 3 material – which presents the lowest risk – includes hides and skins from healthy animals, blood, bones, and other materials that can be processed into approved products.
Correct categorisation of by-products at the point of generation is essential. Martland’s Fallen Stock can assist processing facility operators in understanding the categorisation requirements that apply to their specific by-product streams, helping to ensure that materials are correctly segregated from the point of generation.
Storage and Labelling Requirements
Animal by-products at an abattoir or processing facility must be stored in clearly labelled, dedicated containers that identify the category of material and the species from which it originates. Containers must be leak-proof, capable of being cleaned and disinfected, and stored in conditions that prevent contamination of food areas and minimise the risk of environmental contamination.
The labelling requirements are specific – containers must be marked with the appropriate category designation and must include information that allows the contents to be traced to their source. Martland’s Fallen Stock provides documentation for every collection that supports this traceability requirement, creating a clear and auditable chain from generation to final processing.
Working With Martland’s Fallen Stock as Your Collection Partner
For abattoirs and meat processing facilities, the relationship with an approved ABP collection provider is a critical operational dependency. Martland’s Fallen Stock works with processing facility operators to establish collection schedules that are frequent enough to prevent by-products from accumulating beyond on-site storage capacity, and flexible enough to accommodate variations in throughput.
When selecting Martland’s Fallen Stock as your ABP collection partner, the team will confirm the approvals relevant to the categories of material generated at your facility, discuss collection frequency requirements, and ensure that the documentation provided for each collection supports your compliance records fully. The commercial document provided by Martland’s Fallen Stock for each collection is a regulatory requirement and will be issued consistently with every visit.
Compliance and Inspection Readiness
Abattoirs and meat processing facilities are subject to regular inspection by the Food Standards Agency and the Animal and Plant Health Agency, and animal by-product management is one of the areas routinely examined. Inspectors will expect to see correct categorisation and segregation of materials, adequate and correctly labelled storage, a consistent collection schedule, and complete records of all collections.
Working with Martland’s Fallen Stock makes inspection readiness significantly more straightforward. The consistent documentation provided by Martland’s Fallen Stock for every collection creates a clear compliance record, and the team is available to support operators in understanding the requirements that apply to their specific facility and by-product streams. Facilities that establish a long-term collection relationship with Martland’s Fallen Stock benefit from a reliable, well-documented service that stands up to scrutiny at every inspection.
Here are some of the other regional areas we cover. Click a link below to find out more:
Lancashire Fallen Stock Collection Service
Greater Manchester Fallen Stock Collection Service
Merseyside Fallen Stock Collection Service
Wirral Fallen Stock Collection Service
North Wales Fallen Stock Collection Service
Cheshire Fallen Stock Collection Service
