Turkey producer warned not to dispose waste illegally

Five years ago there were three “blood and guts” firms collecting livestock waste in Suffolk. One of them was Phil Clarke of Melton Woodbridge and now he is the only one still operating in the county.

Speaking at a recent Anglian Turkey Association meeting, he voiced concerns at the number of smaller flock owners who, Mr Clarke suggested, were finding it difficult to adjust to the dramatic changes to a job that they had been doing for 30 and 40 years.

Instead of contacting a licensed specialist they were disposing of their relatively small collections of blood and guts material in unrecorded, cash-in-hand deals at the farmgate.

“Corners are being cut and risks are being taken and it is not worth it for the relatively small sums involved,” he said, adding that he had just invested £400,000 in up-grading the plant

“Our charges are geared to the size of the pick-up with a minimum £35 call-out fee and there is a special arrangement whereby producers can deliver themselves the occasional dead carcase.”