7.7.94 Official Journal of the European Communities No L 172/25 COMMISSION DECISION of 27 June 1994 on the approval of alternative heat treatment systems for processing animal waste of ruminant origin, with a view to the inactivation of spongiform encephalopathy agents (Text with EEA relevance) (94/382/EC) THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES, Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community, Having regard to Council Directive 90/667/EEC of 27 November 1990 laying down the veterinary rules for the disposal and processing of animal waste, for its placind on the market and for the prevention of pathogens in feed- stuffs of animal or fish origin and amending Directive 90/425/EEC (*), as amended by Directive 92/118/EEC (3, and in particular Annex II, Chapter II, paragraph 6 (c) thereof, Whereas paragraph 6 (a) of Annex II, Chapter II of Direc- tive 90/667/EEC requires that high-risk material must be heated to a core temperature of at least 113° C for 20 minutes at a pressure of 3 bar after the particle size of the raw material has been reduced to at least 50 mm ‘Whereas, however, paragraph 6 (c) of Annex II, Chapter II of the said Directive, provides for approval of alternative systems of heat treatment ; whereas therefore Commission Decision 92/562/EEC of 17 November 1992 on the approval of alternative heat treatment systems for proces- sing high-risk material () has been adopted ; Whereas, however, no particle size or time and tempera- ture parameters were defined for the approved systems ; whereas, furthermore, no such parameters have been defined for the processing of low-risk material ; Whereas, as a result of a scientific study into the physical parameters which must be applied in order to inactive the agents of scrapie and bovine spongiform enephalopathy (BSE), it is now possible to identify certain processes in the rendering industry which do not inactivate those agents ; whereas it is possible provisionally to identify the () OJ No L 363, 27. 12. 1990, p. 1. () OJ No L 62, 15. 3. 1993, p. 49. () OJ No L 359, 9. 12. 1992, p. 23. parameters used in other processes described in Decision 92/562/EEC which will inactivate those agents; Whereas, therefore, it is necessary to ensure that systems which have been shown to be ineffective are not used for the processing of animal waste of ruminant origin, in order to protect animal healt from the hazard of spongi- form encephalopathy agents in animal feed, unless another validated sterilisation phase is added to the process ; Whereas it is necessary to define the maximum particle size and the minimum time and temperature to be applied in other systems, in order to ensure that such systems are running in accordance with procedures have been validated scientifically ; Whereas these minimum standards should be considered to be provisional and may need to be amended in the light of the final results of the study and future scientific information, in order to ensure that all authorized processes lead to satisfactory inactivation of the agents ; Whereas Member States must ensure that processingt plants are individually checked to ensure that the minimum requirements are met; Whereas Member States which already require maximum particle sizes and times and temperatures in excess of these minimum levels should continue to apply their original requirements ; Whereas certain specific animal products are not consi- dered to present a risk in respect of BSE, because they are known notto be infective as a result of scientific tests; whereas those products are covered by Directive 92/118/EEC, and in particular Annex 1, Chapters 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10 thereof; Whereas those products may be exempted from the requirements of this Decision ; Whereas the measures provided for in this Decision are in accordance with the opinion of the Standing Veterinary Committee, .