Businesses and professionals working with animal by-products in Ireland can use the official ABP plants Ireland register to identify approved facilities, operators and laboratories. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) provides these resources to support compliance with European animal-by-product rules.
The publication, first issued on 7 October 2020 and updated on 6 November 2026, explains that plants handling or processing animal by-products must be approved by the competent authority under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009.
ABP plants Ireland covered by the DAFM register
The register brings together facilities approved by the European Commission and establishments registered for specific uses. It is relevant to operators across the food, feed, rendering, recycling, research and agricultural sectors.
Types of approved facilities
- Intermediate plants, hide stores, wool stores and knackeries
- Facilities supplying pet food and plants storing processed animal protein
- Low-capacity incinerators, tallow burners and combustion plants
- Rendering, biodiesel and oleochemical plants
- Biogas, anaerobic digestion and composting facilities
- Petfood plants and technical establishments
- Facilities handling milk products, colostrum, hides and skins
These categories reflect the different ways animal by-products and derived products may be stored, processed, transported or used outside the human food chain.
Registered users and collection centres
Alongside the main list of ABP plants Ireland, DAFM provides registers for users handling animal by-products for diagnostic, educational and research purposes. Separate information is available for zoo and circus animals, as well as other special feeding purposes.
The publication also includes collection-centre details and a register of other operators, including transporters, traders, handlers of intermediate products and end users of organic fertilisers and soil improvers.
Location mapping and laboratory oversight
An interactive map identifies the locations of knackeries, wool stores, rendering plants, composting sites and biogas facilities. This can help businesses understand available infrastructure and plan regulated movements.
DAFM also publishes a register of approved laboratories for microbiological testing and Trichinella analysis undertaken by operators in DAFM-regulated industries. The listed laboratory register is identified as Revision 16, issued on 5 December 2025.
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What operators should check
- Confirm that the relevant facility or operator appears on the current DAFM register.
- Match the establishment’s approval category to the intended activity.
- Review transport, storage and handling requirements before moving materials.
- Use an approved laboratory where regulated microbiological or Trichinella testing is required.
- Check the gov.ie publication for the latest downloadable registers and updates.
The ABP plants Ireland publication is an important compliance reference for companies handling animal by-products. Operators should rely on the latest DAFM material, maintain accurate records and seek clarification from the department when approval requirements are unclear.
Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie