The Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015

PART 3 Limiting the application of organic manure

Application of livestock manure: total nitrogen limit for the whole holding

7.—(1) The occupier of a holding must ensure that, in any calendar year, the total amount of nitrogen in livestock manure applied to the holding, whether directly by an animal or by spreading, does not exceed 170kg multiplied by the area of the holding in hectares.

(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply where the occupier has been granted a derogation.

(3) For the purposes of this regulation, the amount of nitrogen is to be calculated in accordance with Schedule 1.

(4) In calculating the area of a holding for the purpose of ascertaining the amount of nitrogen permitted to be spread on the holding, no account is to be taken of—

(a) any surface waters, hardstanding, buildings, roads or woodland (unless the woodland is used for grazing), or

(b) any land which is covered by a greenhouse for the whole of the year concerned.

Spreading organic manure: nitrogen limits per hectare

8.—(1) The occupier of a holding must ensure that in any twelve-month period, the total amount of nitrogen in organic manure spread on any given hectare of land on the holding does not exceed 250kg.

(2) But the occupier may exceed that limit if the following three conditions are met.

(3) Condition 1 is that organic manure is in the form of certified green compost or certified green/food compost.

(4) Condition 2 is that the total amount of nitrogen in the form of green compost or green/food compost which is spread on any given hectare of land on the holding does not exceed—

(a) 500kg in any two-year period, whether the compost is spread as mulch or incorporated into the soil, or

(b) in the case of orchard land, 1,000kg in any four-year period if it is spread as mulch.

(5) Condition 3 is that no other form of organic manure is spread over the land in question during the applicable period provided for under paragraph (4)(a) or (b).

(6) This regulation does not apply in a case where—

(a) the requirements in paragraph (7) are met, and

(b) the occupier makes a record demonstrating that they are met.

(7) The requirements in this paragraph are that throughout the year concerned—

(a) at least 80% of the holding’s agricultural area is sown with grass,

(b) the total amount of nitrogen in organic manure applied to the holding, whether directly by an animal or spreading, does not exceed 100kg multiplied by the area of the holding in hectares,

(c) the total amount of nitrogen from manufactured nitrogen fertiliser applied to the holding does not exceed 90kg multiplied by the area of the holding in hectares, and

(d) the occupier does not bring organic manure on to the holding.

(8) For the purposes of paragraph (7), the area of the holding does not include any land on which the occupier does not spread fertiliser or work the soil.

(9) For the purposes of this regulation, the total amount of nitrogen in organic manure is to be calculated by reference to the methods described in regulation 14.

(10) The reference in paragraph (1) to the land on the holding does not include any land which is covered by a greenhouse for the whole of the period concerned.

(11) In this regulation—

“certified”, in relation to compost, means certified in a statement issued by the manufacturer or supplier as having been produced in accordance with the standards set out in the publication PAS 100:2011 dated January 2011(1);

“green compost” means any nitrogen fertiliser derived exclusively from plant sources in the form of composted landscaping or garden waste;

“green/food compost” means any nitrogen fertiliser derived from plant or animal sources in the form of composted catering waste in any combination with green compost, and which excludes organic manure from livestock;

“orchard land” means land on which fruit of the genus Malus, Pyrus or Prunus is grown.

(1)

Published by the British Standards Institution, 389 Chiswick High Road, London W5 5AL (www.bsigroup.com), ISBN 978-0-580-65307-0.