site.btaRegulator Probes Dead Animals Found Near Former Plovdiv Rendering Plant

The Plovdiv Regional Prosecution Office launched an inquiry Friday after media reports of abandoned animal carcasses near the former rendering plant in Plovdiv raised concerns of environmental contamination, the prosecution service said. The Plovdiv regional directorate of the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency (BFSA) was instructed to investigate and report on any risks to human health.

BFSA's Plovdiv Regional Directorate is conducting 24-hour monitoring, ongoing disinfection, and strict adherence to biosafety protocols during the disposal of animals infected with sheep and goat pox in the city. Mobile incinerators have been deployed at the former rendering plant site in Plovdiv, starting with one unit and later adding a second, to safely and efficiently dispose of animal carcasses. These incinerators operate in full compliance with European and national regulations, with veterinary teams and police patrols present on-site at all times.

BFSA's Plovdiv Regional Directorate said that images circulated in the public domain are outdated and do not reflect the current state of the site or the biosafety measures in place. Due to technical capacity, there may occasionally be a brief accumulation of carcasses at the site. The Plovdiv directorate added that all activities are carried out with strict adherence to biosafety measures, ongoing disinfection, and stringent control procedures to prevent the spread of disease.