BSE: Public health issues - Specified Risk Material
Background
Specified Risk Material (SRM) includes those tissues of cattle, sheep and goats which are known to, or might potentially, harbour detectable BSE infectivity in infected animals, such as the brain and spinal cord from bovines over six months of age. The tissues which fall within the current definition of SRM are listed on the Food Standards Agency website, which also carries a guide to butchers for the removal of vertebral column. The essential purpose of the SRM controls is to ensure that such material is excluded from the human food and animal feed chains and cannot be used for any other purpose which might put human or animal health at risk.
Since the controls on SRM were first introduced (in 1989 under The Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations) they have been regularly reviewed and strengthened on the basis of developing scientific evidence. Most recently EU wide rules to control the use of certain risk materials from cattle, sheep and goats have been introduced. The UK Government welcomed these controls as a significant step in providing all EU consumers with a greater level of protection from the risk of exposure to BSE infectivity. The current controls on SRM are laid down in the EU TSE Regulation (EC 999/2001), as amended, enforced in England by the TSE (No.2) Regulations 2006, with parallel enforcing legislation in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
Disposal
Once the SRM has been removed from the carcase and stained in accordance
with the TSE legislation, it must be disposed of in accordance with Regulation
EC 1774/2002 (the EU
Animal By-Products Regulation 
(287KB)).
SRM must be sent without undue delay directly to a premises permitted to receive 'category 1' (i.e. highest risk) material under Regulation EC 1774/2002. Permitted disposal routes include incinerators, rendering plants or collection centres. Regulation EC 1774/2002 lays down strict rules for the handling, storage and treatment of animal by-products, including SRM. Only SRM that has been pressure cooked in an approved rendering plant to the EU pressure-cooking standard (at least 133C/3 bar pressure/20 minutes) is permitted to be disposed of to licensed landfill. Otherwise, SRM must be directly incinerated, or rendered followed by incineration.
Enforcement
The Meat Hygiene Service (MHS), part of the Food Standards Agency (FSA), enforces the SRM controls on a day to day basis in slaughterhouses and licensed cutting plants. The work is carried out by Meat Hygiene Inspectors working under the supervision of an Official Veterinary Surgeon. Where slaughterhouses and licensed cutting plants fail to comply with the regulations the MHS will refer the matter to investigation officers at the FSA who will prosecute if there is sufficient evidence.
Local authorities enforce the SRM controls at other premises. Any premises failing to comply may face prosecution by the appropriate local authority if there is sufficient evidence.
Page last modified:
19 December, 2006