Good news as tallow is recognised by EU as a fuel says NFU

Proposals from the European Commission to amend legislation to recognise the value of tallow as a fuel, removing it from the realms of complex and inappropriate waste controls, have been welcomed by the NFU.

The revised text of the Animal By-Products Regulation clarifies that animal by-products can be used as a fuel in the promotion of sustainable energy generation and states it is not a waste disposal operation.

NFU Deputy President Meurig Raymond said “This is a hugely significant and welcome step by the Commission. Burning tallow as a fuel in rendering plants in compliance with the Waste Incineration Directive was costly and bureaucratic, coupled with the nonsensical situation that the only alternative practice for abattoirs was to burn fossil fuels.

“The NFU has long been campaigning for tallow to be recognised as a fuel and not as a waste. Using tallow as a fuel creates an effective closed-loop system for re-use of some of the tallow produced in rendering plants across the country, burning with fewer emissions than heavy fuel oil.

“This will help the rendering industry to keep costs in check at a time when energy prices are soaring. We look to the Council and the Parliament to make a timely decision on these proposals so that we can draw a line under the uncertainty which has plagued the industry for the past three and a half years.”


Notes to Editors

Article 12 of the current Animal By-Products Regulation (ABPR) 1774/2002 sets requirements for the approval of incineration and co-incineration plants burning animal by products, provides that the incineration and co-incineration of processed products (i.e. tallow) must be compliant with Waste Incineration Directive. An implementing Regulation to the ABPR (Regulation No 92/2005), as amended by regulation No 2067/2005, approves the combustion of animal fat in a thermal boiler under certain defined conditions.

There is considerable confusion about this addition to ABPR regime, with a number of Member State authorities interpreting it as allowing the combustion of tallow in rendering plant boilers without a need to comply with WID. The Commission’s proposal now permits the disposal and use of animal by-products as a fuel for combustion.

The revised text of the ABPR will now go to the European Parliament and the Council for consideration and will enter into force 20 days after the process is complete.


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The NFU champions British farming and provides professional representation and services to its farmer and grower members.