Insertion of paragraphs 47A and 47B of Part I of Schedule 2
23. After paragraph 47 of Part I of Schedule 2,insert—
“47A.—(1) The treatment of land used for agriculture with agricultural waste where such treatment results in benefit to agriculture or ecological improvement if—
(a)the waste consists only of liquid milk;
(b)the land is at least—
(i)10 metres from a waterway; and
(ii)50 metres from a spring, well or borehole;
(c)before the treatment the waste is diluted with not less than an equal quantity of water or slurry;
(d)at the start of the treatment and at any time during the treatment—
(i)the land has not been frozen for 12 or more hours during the preceding 24 hours; or
(ii)the land is not waterlogged, flooded or snow-covered;
(e)in areas to which the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 apply the treatment shall be carried out in accordance with those Regulations;
(f)the land is treated at a rate no greater than 50 cubic metres (tonnes) of diluted waste per hectare per 24 hours;
(g)in any period of 30 days the land is treated with no more than 50 cubic metres (tonnes) of diluted waste per hectare; and
(h)the addition of nitrogen in the waste material should take account of the soil nutrient status and other sources of nutrient supply and be matched to the needs of the planned crop rotation.
(2) The secure storage or dilution of waste intended to be used to treat land as specified in sub-paragraph (1).
(3) For the purposes of this paragraph, waste is subject to treatment only when it is spread on land or is injected or otherwise introduced into the surface of that land.
47B. The deposit of agricultural waste consisting of plant tissue at the place of production if—
(a)there is no more than 250 cubic metres (tonnes) in any one deposit;
(b)the deposit is made on land which is at least —
(i)10 metres from a waterway; and
(ii)50 metres from a spring, well or borehole;
(c)the deposit is not immediately adjacent to any other deposit made in reliance on this exemption;
(d)at the time the deposit is made—
(i)the land has not been frozen for 12 or more hours during the preceding 24 hours; or
(ii)the land is not waterlogged, flooded or snow-covered; and
(e)in areas to which the Action Programme for Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1999 apply the deposit shall be carried out in accordance with those Regulations.”.