Animal parts used to create other products

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Nov. 23 (UPI) -- A National Renderers Association official said U.S. companies are using leftover animal parts to create renewable products such as diesel fuel and plastics.

Tom Cook, president of the association based out of Alexandria, Va., said top meat producers are finding new uses for the parts of animals that are not sold in U.S. supermarkets, USA Today reported Monday.

Among those companies finding new uses for spare animal parts is Tyson Foods, which uses the keratin protein in feathers to help develop adhesives, plastics and non-woven materials.

The company is also working to create a synthetic diesel fuel from items such as beef tallow, pork lard and chicken fat.

Meanwhile, Perdue Farms is creating organic fertilizer through a mixture of animal manure and wood shavings, Cathy Klein, vice president for co-product sales, said.

The new uses for the animal parts have been questioned by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals official Kathy Guillermo, who warned of the potential spread of disease by providing livestock and pets with rendered materials.

"The last thing we need in this country is another use for the bodies of animals," Guillermo told USA Today