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Policy paper

Animal by-products legislation for England: exemptions

Authorisations by the Secretary of State to inform operators how to comply with these exemptions.

Updates to this page

From:
Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
Published:
1 January 2013
Last updated:
24 July 2026
Show all updates

  1. Made minor changes to Authorisation D12 to make it clearer. The subheading in this section now reads, 'Authorisation to exempt certain operators from the requirement to register'.

  2. Made minor changes to the information under the 'Authorisation A4' heading to make it clearer.

  3. Updated the list of derogations. Authorisation A12: added new authorisation for registered food premises to feed products of animal origin or foodstuffs containing products of animal origin that are no longer intended for human consumption to pet animals. Authorisation C2: reworded to make certain requirements clearer.

  4. Updated the list of derogations: Authorisations A2, A4, A5, A6, A7, A8 and A9 – updated to include wording ‘under conditions which ensure the control of risks to public and animal health’ Authorisation B6 – amended to enable uncooked shellfish shells with soft tissue and flesh attached to be spread to land. Authorisation D8 – updated to reintroduce the requirement for operators to keep a register of consignments for research and diagnostic samples intended for educational purposes, unless they are the operator using the research and diagnostic sample for educational purposes. Several authorisations have been rewritten or restructured to make them clearer.

  5. You must gain consent from Defra before using authorisations C3, C4, C5, D3, D5, D6 or D7.

  6. Document updated: added Coquet Island as a remote area exempt to the ban on burying or burning of fallen stock (authorisation C3).

  7. Document updated as Authorisation A6 has been amended.

  8. Latest version of the table of authorisations added.

  9. The following sections in this document were updated 18 November 2014: Authorisation A10 on feeding Category 3 material to pets: first paragraph makes clearer what establishments are covered Authorisation D12 on exemptions from registration: part (d)(ii) on home-curing of raw hides and skins removed

  10. Updated document published. Removed requirement for registration under authorisation A10 on feeding category 3 material to pet animals.

  11. Latest version of the APB Authorisations document published.

  12. Updated Authorisations document published

  13. Document has been replaced following a change to the section 'Authorisation B6- to allow all cooked shellfish shells to be applied to land, subject to conditions'

  14. New Authorisation B6 to allow cooked crab shells to be applied to land

  15. The following sections in this document were updated in December 2013: • Authorisation A10 to feed Category 3 material to pet animals: • Authorisation C3 to dispose of certain Category 1 material and Category 2 and 3 material in remote areas • Authorisation C4 to dispose of certain Category 1 material and Category 2 and 3 material in restricted areas • Authorisation D12 to exempt certain operators from the requirement to register

  16. Published amended version of this policy paper.

  17. Replaced the document with more up to date version.

  18. First published.

Documents

Derogations from the Animal By-Product controls under Regulation (EC) 1069/2009 and Commission Regulation (EU) 142/2011

PDF, 402 KB, 58 pages

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Details

EU Regulation 1069/2009 and Commission Regulation 142/2011 set down controls on the safe use and disposal of animal-by products to safeguard public and animal health but allow exemptions in certain circumstances.

This table of authorisations shows which exemptions may be used in England and any conditions that operators need to follow.

First published in May 2011 (last amended in July 2026).

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