Case Study 16

Sustainably dealing with Avian Influenza in Italy

In response to the unprecedented 2021 – 2022 outbreak of the highly pathogenic H5N1 avian influenza (AI) in Italy, culled birds from infected poultry farms were safely transported and disposed of at several animal by-product processing plants across Italy. Similarly in 2023–2024, following the spread of African Swine Fever (ASF), pigs and meat from infected farms were handled by rendering plants.

These plants provide essential biosecurity, segregating bio-risk material from the environment and making it safe by thermal treatment. The benefit of this disposal route over others is that the products derived from the condemned material have sustainable applications, giving additional value to the otherwise waste material.

The condemned material is Category 2 animal by-products (ABP) material and can be processed in either Category 1 or 2 processing plants. It is converted into meat and bonemeal (MBM) and animal fat which are used in fertiliser and energy recovery applications. Obtaining some value from this material is very important to the poultry farmers who suffer huge financial losses when infected livestock is diverted away from food production routes.

The AI and ASF outbreaks were not just in Italy. Sustainable processing of condemned material was undertaken across Europe at sites operated by EFPRA members.

During the AI outbreak in the Veneto region, and during the management of ASF which spread to various areas of the Po valley, approximately 50.000 tonnes of condemned material (broilers, egg layers, turkeys, pigs and pig meat) were disposed of at 11 Italian rendering plants across the country. The locations of the sites by region and type of ABP category material processed is illustrated in Figure 1.

The exact amounts of condemned material processed in Category 1 and 2 plants is unavailable but the Italian rendering association, Assograssi, estimates that, based on a 20:80 split of the condemned material, over 20.000 tonnes of products were derived. This is illustrated in Figure 2.

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The use of the derived products in sustainable applications helps mitigate climate change by reducing the CO2 emissions from fossil fuels. For example, animal fat has around 38MJ/kg of energy while MBM, has around 16 MJ/kg. (Emissions reduction based on 10g CO2 eq/MJ).

Utilising natural nitrogen and phosphorous in MBM (approximately 9% nitrogen and 5% phosphorus) as fertiliser replaces primary, scarce fertiliser ingredients and avoids the associated emissions from their extraction and manufacture into fertiliser. Some condemned material was also processed directly in a biosecure biogas plant.

Case Study 16 - Version 1, October 2023