ABPs and Insect Generation

Enviroverstock Ltd continues to explore innovative and emerging solutions that could improve how food waste and Animal By-Products (ABPs) are managed more sustainably.

One area of growing interest is the use of food waste to produce insect protein. Species such as black soldier flies, mealworms, and crickets are increasingly studied for their ability to convert organic material into high-quality protein, oils, and other nutrients used in animal feed and related applications. In this context, insects act as natural decomposers, converting unwanted substrates into valuable biomass rich in protein and fats.

Under current UK regulatory frameworks, insects are treated similarly to livestock. This means they cannot be fed certain ABPs, such as catering waste or materials containing meat or fish products, due to historic concerns around the transmission of animal diseases.

Across Europe, legislation has gradually evolved to allow processed insect protein from approved insect species to be used in aquaculture and, more recently within the EU, in poultry and pig feeds. These changes followed evidence showing that disease risks associated with non-ruminant proteins are low when appropriate safeguards are in place. In the UK, discussions are continuing around similar regulatory changes.

Scientific research continues to support the potential for insects to valorise organic waste by converting it into nutrient-rich biomass, offering an environmentally beneficial alternative to landfill or incineration.

Enviroverstock encourages customers to submit ABP waste streams via the waste map so emerging opportunities can be identified as regulation, technology, and market demand evolve — potentially unlocking new recovery routes and reducing disposal costs.