Businesses handling animal by-products in Ireland can use the latest gov.ie publication to identify approved facilities, registered operators and testing laboratories. The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine maintains these official lists to support compliance with European animal-by-products legislation.
Published on 7 October 2020 and updated on 1 October 2026, the resource brings together information on plants approved by the European Commission under Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009. It is relevant to operators involved in rendering, pet food, composting, biogas, transport, storage and other regulated activities.
gov.ie register explains which ABP plants are approved
Plants handling or processing animal by-products must be approved by the competent authority. The register covers establishments dealing with materials that may require controlled collection, treatment, storage, processing or disposal.
Facilities included in the official lists
- Intermediate plants, hide stores, wool stores and knackeries
- Plants supplying pet food and petfood manufacturing facilities
- Storage sites for processed animal protein, rendered fat and fish oils
- Low-capacity incinerators, tallow burners and combustion plants
- Rendering, biodiesel and oleochemical plants
- Biogas, anaerobic digestion and composting plants
- Technical plants handling products outside the feed chain
The publication also identifies establishments using milk-based products, colostrum, hides and skins, as well as facilities serving pharmaceutical or medical purposes.
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Registered users, collection centres and transport operators
The gov.ie resource includes a separate Section X for users of animal by-products and derived products for specific purposes under Article 23. Categories include diagnostic, educational and research uses, zoo and circus animals, and other special feeding purposes.
It also provides registers for collection centres and other registered operators, including transporters, traders, handlers of intermediate products and end users of organic fertilisers and soil improvers. These details help businesses check whether an operator is listed for the activity being undertaken.
Location map and laboratory register
An interactive map shows the locations of knackeries, wool stores, rendering plants, composting facilities and biogas plants. The page also provides the DAFM register of approved laboratories testing microbiological parameters and Trichinella samples collected by operators in regulated industries.
The laboratory register is identified as Revision 16, issued on 5 December 2025. It excludes in-house laboratories testing for Trichinella.
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Why the register matters to Irish businesses
Checking the official gov.ie lists can help operators verify approval status before arranging collection, processing, storage, transport or testing. It also supports traceability and helps businesses understand which requirements may apply under EU animal-by-products rules.
Operators should rely on the current Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine publication because registrations, approvals and laboratory details may change. The register is particularly useful for food-chain businesses, agricultural operators, waste-management companies, laboratories and organisations using derived products for specialist purposes.
Key takeaway
The gov.ie register is Ireland’s central reference point for EU-approved ABP plants, registered users, collection centres, approved laboratories and relevant location information. Businesses should consult the latest version before using an animal-by-products facility or service.
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Article/Image Courtesy: gov.ie
