Bioreduction: an alternative strategy for disposing of fallen stock in the UK livestock sector
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Research partner: Bangor University
Sponsor: BPEX
Duration: 2008 – 2011
Bioreduction is a process where decomposition of the animal carcase is accelerated in an aerated vessel containing water at mesophilic (40ºC) temperature. The subsequent waste can be disposed of via incineration or rendering at a more convenient time.
The specific aims of this project are:
- To strengthen the scientific case for EC legislation of bioreduction as a means of managing fallen stock
- To collate information from existing scientific literature on bioreduction
- To identify and characterise the key microbial and enzymatic processes and drivers of bioreduction
Progress made during the year includes the completion of the laboratory trial and the first of the two field trials to discover the fate of pathogens in bioreduction vessels. The findings have been submitted to a scientific journal for peer-review. Ongoing work that that is currently ongoing includes improving the efficiency of bioreduction.
Conclusions from the study to determine the efficiency of the ‘Ingestor Product’ – a commercial product which is designed to facilitate the breakdown of pig carcaseses within a bioreduction system, include that the commercial ‘Ingestor Product’ does not significantly affect the decomposition rate of carcase material under simulated bioreduction conditions; therefore the ‘Ingestor Product’ is an unnecessary cost. The development of a new accelerant could therefore improve the efficiency of pig bioreduction.
Future work will include a study to analyse the affect of adding alternative accelerants that are currently used in the waste management industry to a bioreduction system. A second study will look at the activity of a variety of enzymes over time within a pig bioreduction system. This should enable the enzymes that are involved at different stages of bioreduction to be determined and this knowledge can eventually be combined with that of microbial communities, enzyme activity and accelerants to develop an optimised starter culture.
Other planned activities include a Life Cycle Assessment and full economic assessment of the results.
Paper: The environmental and biosecurity characteristics of livestock carcass disposal methods: A review Published by Elsevier Ltd
Fate of pathogens in a simulated bioreduction system for livestock carcasses - presentation
The Efficacy of Various Accelerants at Enhancing Bioreduction - poster
The site at Henfaes Research Station, Bangor University
Page last updated
08-Aug-2011