Welfare of Animals (Slaughter or Killing) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

Part II The killing of pigs by exposure to carbon dioxide

The killing of pigs by exposure to carbon dioxide

3.—(1) Subject to paragraphs 4 to 6, pigs may be killed at a slaughterhouse by exposure to carbon dioxide gas mixture in a chamber provided for the purpose (hereinafter referred to as “a chamber”).

(2) For the purposes of this Part, a carbon dioxide gas mixture (hereinafter referred to as the “gas mixture”) shall mean at least 70% carbon dioxide by volume in atmospheric air.

Construction of the chamber

4.  The occupier of a slaughterhouse at which a chamber is used shall ensure that—

(a) the chamber and the equipment used for conveying any pig through the gas mixture are designed, constructed and maintained—

(i) so as to avoid injury to any pig;

(ii) so as to avoid compression of the chest of any pig;

(iii) so as to enable each pig to remain upright until it loses consciousness;

(iv) so as to enable the pigs to see each other as they are conveyed in the chamber; and

(v) so that once a pig enters the chamber, it is conveyed to the point in the chamber of maximum concentration of the gas mixture within a maximum period of 30 seconds;

(b) there is a means of visually monitoring pigs which are in the chamber;

(c) adequate lighting is provided in the conveying mechanism and the chamber to allow pigs to see other pigs or their surroundings;

(d) the installation has an apparatus which maintains the required concentration by volume of carbon dioxide in the gas mixture in the chamber;

(e) the chamber is fitted with devices which—

(i) measure the concentration by volume of carbon dioxide in the gas mixture at the point of maximum exposure;

(ii) when the chamber is in operation, continuously display the concentration by volume of carbon dioxide as a percentage of the gas mixture at the point of maximum concentration in the chamber; and

(iii) give clearly visible and audible warning signals if the concentration by volume of carbon dioxide falls below 70%;

(f) there is a means of flushing the chamber with atmospheric air with the minimum of delay; and

(g) there is a means of access to any pig with the minimum of delay.

The operation of the chamber

5.  The occupier of a slaughterhouse at which a chamber is used shall ensure that—

(a) each pig is exposed to the gas mixture for long enough to ensure that it is killed;

(b) any such chamber is properly maintained; and

(c) every person engaged in the killing is properly instructed as to—

(i) the method of operation of the chamber;

(ii) the procedures for any necessary flushing of the chamber with atmospheric air; and

(iii) the procedures for any necessary evacuation of pigs from the chamber.

6.  The occupier of a slaughterhouse at which a chamber is used and any person engaged in the killing of pigs by exposure to carbon dioxide shall ensure that—

(a) no pig enters the chamber if the displayed concentration by volume of carbon dioxide in the gas mixture falls below 70%; and

(b) no pig is passed through or allowed to remain in the chamber at any time when the visible and audible warning signals provided for in paragraph 4(e)(iii) have been activated or when there is any defect in the operation of the chamber.