The inter-departmental committee says that the co-incineration of meat and bone meal, MBM, in the manufacture of cement or in the generation of electricity offers a safe and efficient means of disposing of the meal.
MBM has been banned as an animal feed throughout the EU as a measure to prevent the spread of BSE in cattle. Contaminated bonemeal infected with the BSE agent is believed to be the major cause of the disease.
Ireland produces more than 100,000 tonnes of MBM annually.
For several years taxpayers supported the livestock sector by subsidising the rendering and destruction of carcasses. The full costs have now been passed back to the industry but because there are no disposal facilities in Ireland, MBM is exported for destruction at huge expense.
The Minister for Agriculture, Joe Walsh, said the committee is anxious for progress to be made on the recommendations. He said there were wider benefits for the country if MBM can be used to replace fossil fuels, which could reduce Ireland's greenhouse gas emissions.
