The British Government has reopened a carbon dioxide production facility that has been criticized due to its connection with a controversial method of pig slaughter, sparking widespread concern.
This reopening comes amid growing fears of carbon dioxide shortages, linked to the Strait of Hormuz closure following the conflict in Iran.
The facility has been reopened to meet the increasing demand for CO₂ gas in the food industry. The Animal Welfare Committee has called on ministers to phase out the use of CO₂ in the slaughter of pigs due to the distress it causes the animals.
Pain
Ayrton Cooper, the campaigns director for the Animal Justice Project, stated: “In just over a decade, there has been a 73% increase in the gassing of pigs in UK slaughterhouses.
“Currently, this method is used for nine out of ten pigs. Despite clear evidence of the pain and distress this method causes, the government is focused on increasing gas supplies instead of addressing the issue and ending pig gassing.”
Despite recommendations, the government has not provided a clear timeline or policy for reducing reliance on this slaughter method.
The reopening of the Redcar plant coincides with the launch of a provocative campaign by Project Slingshot, which uses London Underground advertisements to expose the covert practice of slaughtering pigs in gas chambers. Celebrities like Diane Morgan, Dr. Amir Khan, and Jen Brister are featured in the campaign.
Naomi Hallum, a cofounder of Project Slingshot, commented: “Pigs suffer severe pain and distress, dying gasping for air. The industry claims gas chambers are humane, which we don’t accept.
Dramatic
“This situation is akin to industrial-scale gaslighting. While pigs are gassed, the public is misled.”
Neil Duncan-Jordan MP supports the campaign, saying: “For decades, we’ve been told CO₂ gas chambers are humane. The pigs’ screams tell a different story. I don’t believe it, the public doesn’t believe it, and Westminster shouldn’t either. They should be banned.”
