The Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015

PART 6 Storage of organic manure

Storage of organic manure

23.—(1) The occupier of a holding must not store organic manure (other than slurry), or bedding contaminated with organic manure, except—

(a) in a vessel,

(b) in a covered building (including a greenhouse),

(c) on an impermeable surface, or

(d) in the case of solid manure which can be stacked in a free-standing heap and which does not drain liquid from the material, on a temporary field site.

(2) A heap of solid manure as described in paragraph (1)(d) forming a temporary field site must occupy as small a surface area as is practically required to support the mass of the heap and prevent it from collapse.

(3) A temporary field site must not be—

(a) in a field liable to flooding or becoming waterlogged,

(b) within 50 metres of a spring, well or borehole or within 10 metres of surface water or a land drain (other than a sealed impermeable pipe),

(c) located in any single position for more than 12 consecutive months,

(d) located in the same place as an earlier one constructed within the last two years, or

(e) on land having a slope of 12 degrees or more which is within 30 metres of surface water.

(4) Solid poultry manure that does not have bedding mixed into it and is stored on a temporary field site must be covered with an impermeable material.

Separation of slurry

24.—(1) Separation of slurry into its solid and liquid fractions must be carried out mechanically or on an impermeable surface where the liquid fraction drains into a suitable receptacle.

(2) This regulation does not apply to a new holding until the latest date on which a closed period under regulation 20 begins in relation to that holding (regardless of whether an exception under regulation 20(4) or 21 applies).

Storage capacity

25.—(1) An occupier of a holding who keeps any animals specified in column 1 of Schedule 1 must provide sufficient storage—

(a) for all slurry produced on the holding during the storage period, and

(b) for all poultry manure produced in a yard or building on the holding during the storage period.

(2) The volume of the manure produced by the animals on the holding must be calculated using the figures specified for the daily manure produced by each animal in column 2 of Schedule 1.

(3) A slurry store must have the capacity to store, in addition to the manure, any rainfall, washings or other liquid that enters the vessel (either directly or indirectly) during the storage period.

(4) Storage facilities are not necessary for slurry or poultry manure that the occupier intends will be—

(a) sent off the holding, or

(b) spread in accordance with these Regulations on land that has a low run-off risk.

(5) But in a case within paragraph (4)(b), storage facilities for an additional one week’s manure must be provided as a contingency measure in the event of spreading not being possible on some dates.

(6) This regulation does not apply to a new holding until the latest date on which a closed period under regulation 20 begins in relation to that holding (regardless of whether an exception under regulation 20(4) or 21 applies).

(7) In this regulation, “storage period” means—

(a) in the case of pigs and poultry, the period that begins with 1st October and ends with the following 1st April;

(b) in any other case, the period that begins with 1st October and ends with the following 1st March.

(8) For the purposes of this regulation, land has a “low run-off risk” if it—

(a) has an average slope of less than 3 degrees,

(b) does not have land drains (other than a sealed impermeable pipe), and

(c) is at least 50 metres from a watercourse or conduit leading to a watercourse.