The plant has achieved the EU standard ABP approval, which represents the highest classification possible in the organic waste treatment market, acknowledging the TEG technology is capable of producing compost that reaches a temperature of 70 degrees centigrade and maintains it for at least one hour.  It will allow TEG to commercialise the Sherdley Farm plant, which has been operating as a pilot waste composting plant since 2000, and open up larger markets for the company.  Work is already underway to install an enlarged Silo Cage system, which is due to be operational early in the New Year.

Mick Fishwick, Chief Executive of TEG Environmental, said: "Achieving ABP approval from the State Veterinary Service is a major achievement and demonstrates the outstanding capability of our composting plants.  It is very important that we have been able to gain independent approval for our process.  This development opens up new high volume markets for TEG from the major waste management companies, supermarkets and multinational food processors, who all require approved plants to process their waste."

Under the Animal By-Product Regulations, each individual plant needs to obtain ABP approval.  By achieving the approval at a reference plant, the process to achieve accreditation at new plants is greatly streamlined with a reduced and simplified validation period.  So far, only a handful of other companies have achieved full EU approval to process category III ABP in the UK.

Britain introduced ABP Regulations after the BSE and Foot & Mouth outbreaks, with EU legislation following in May 2003. The regulations prevent the use of animal by-products from being fed to other animals or disposed of via landfill.  This includes previously exempt items and maintains the UK's existing ban on swill feeding.  The 1.6 million tonnes of animal by-products generated by the UK each year include products previously applied untreated to land, such as blood and abattoir waste.  From 31 December 2005, the opportunity will grow further as it will also include many former foodstuffs that contain or have been in contact with uncooked meat products such as catering waste and supermarket food waste.

The TEG Silo Cage system is applauded in the industry for its leading technology which is a natural process providing organic fertilisers that have a wide range of agricultural and horticultural uses.  TEG fertilisers are used by farmers to enhance their crops and many recreational facilities, including parks and golf courses, achieve amazing results after using TEG products.

The Company's expanding market is driven by increasingly stringent EU and UK legislation regulating the treatment and disposal of organic waste.