1. Identifying the context

1.1 A highly regulated activity

Activities linked to the reprocessing or disposal of residues or other waste products from human production, and in particular those concerning biological by-products, are governed in particular by regulatory texts relating to products or processing methods.

• The rendering business is too simply perceived as the voluntary production of animal meal for commercial purposes. This is an oversimplification, as the main aim is to dispose of the meat by-products generated by the rearing and slaughtering of the animals we eat. Final disposal is just one way of financing the costs of destruction. It should be borne in mind that the meat by-products in question account for almost half of the mass of meat consumed,...