§ 15-17-11-23 — Specifications for disposal plants

(a) A disposal plant is not considered a
suitable or sanitary place for disposing of the bodies of dead animals
by any process of cooking unless it conforms to the following minimum
specifications:
(1) The building must have four (4) walls complete and be
provided with concrete or cement floors and be thoroughly
sanitary in construction and maintenance. Any sewage, drainage,
or waste water of any kind that has an offensive or obnoxious
character or odor, is detrimental to human, animal, agricultural,
or aquatic life, or may constitute a public nuisance must be
discharged into a public sewer. If a public sewer is not available,
the sewage, drainage, or waste water must be disposed of
according to the requirements of water pollution control laws (as
defined in IC 13-11-2-261).
(2) All disposal plants where a rendering process is conducted
must be properly equipped, operated, and designed to:
(A) minimize the escape of vapors during processing; and
(B) expose the material being processed to conditions that will
kill all pathogenic organisms.
The board may adopt rules specifying conditions that a rendering
process must meet in order to protect the public health.
(3) If the owner or operator of a disposal plant wishes to sell any
part or parts of any animal carcasses taken to the owner's or
operator's disposal plant for use in the manufacture of pet food or
for feeding mink and other animals, the disposal plant must have
a separate room where the animal bodies that are considered
suitable for animal food are taken. The processing and boning of
carcasses must be done promptly, and the boned meat shall be
ground or cut into small pieces not more than four (4) inches in
diameter. While the meat is being ground or cut, a sufficient
quantity of dye, charcoal, malodorous fish oil, or other denaturant
approved by the state veterinarian must be applied to
unequivocally preclude the meat's use in human food. Meat that
is not immediately shipped must be refrigerated in a cooler
storage room that prevents decomposition. Meat, before being
shipped from a disposal plant, must be packed in a container
approved by the state veterinarian. The container must be clearly
marked or stamped with the legend "Unfit for Human
Consumption". Lettering used in the legend must be at least as
large as any other lettering on the container, and not smaller than
one-half (1/2) inch in height or less than one-half (1/2) inch in
width. The meat may be hauled to the plant of a manufacturer of
pet food or to the place of feeding to animals at places approved
by the state veterinarian. If, after the skinning and
dismemberment of an animal body it is determined that the body
is not suitable for pet food or animal feeding, the body must be
taken to the processing area of the disposal plant and processed
in the same manner as other animal bodies.
(4) The skinning and dismembering of bodies must be done
within the disposal plant and in a manner that prevents
unnecessary annoyance to other persons caused by the conditions
or unsightly appearance of the bodies or any parts and contents of
the bodies. All animal material transported to a disposal plant for
disposal, except that disposed of under subdivision (3), must be
disposed of within twenty-four (24) hours after delivery to the
disposal plant, by a method allowed under this chapter, except
where rendered impossible by accident or other casualty
preventing the operation of the disposal plant, or where an
epidemic or act of God has caused more bodies to be accumulated
than can be reasonably disposed of within twenty-four (24) hours
by the continuous operation of the plant, in which case the plant
shall be placed in operation as soon as possible and operated
continuously until all bodies are disposed of.
(b) A disposal plant may not be situated, constructed, maintained,
or operated in a manner that creates or unnecessarily continues a public
nuisance.
[Pre-2008 Recodification Citation: 15-2.1-16-24.]

Legislative History

As added by P.L.2-2008, SEC.8.