A handful of North American renderers traveled to Rome, Italy, in May to attend the joint meeting of the European Fat Processors and Renderers Association and the World Renderers Organization. Although the group didn’t like what they heard, they realize changes and challenges lie ahead in this part of the world.
One issue addressed of concern to U.S. and Canadian renderers was the forthcoming animal waste regulation (see International Report, April 2002 Render). The consensus is that within 18 months, yellow grease will no longer have a market in the European Union (EU), which worries Doug Anderson, Smithfield Foods, Smithfield, VA, one of the meeting attendees. He hopes that other countries will use science, not emotion, to make their decision about the use of rendered products.
“We have to continue our efforts to lobby the EU but at the same time inform other parts of the world that we don’t have the disease [bovine spongiform encephalopathy] and our products are safe and usable,” Anderson said. He added that selling non-EU countries on that thought will be difficult, but he believes “we have to get there. Otherwise we all become garbage men tomorrow.”
That is what the European rendering industry has become – a disposal industry. Figures for 2001 show that of the 3.8 million tons of animal meal produced in Europe, 45 percent was incinerated, 33 percent was stored, 13 percent went for pet food, over six percent was landfilled, and the remainder was used as fertilizer.
Of the 2.7 million tons of fat produced last year, 30 percent was used as fuel, 30 percent went for feed, 25 percent went to the oleochemical industry, eight percent was used in pet foods, and the rest was utilized as milk replacers.
As for payment of their service, most EU renderers are compensated for their products primarily by their country or local government, with amounts varying.
June 2002 Render