Originally from: lina
                        
October 6

Now doth time waste me

Livestock producers will be at the receiving end of
some confusing messages over the next few months. For
decades they were urged by Adas to view farm manures
as a resource rather than a waste product. But now
they will be told it is only a resource if they use it
on their own farm. If someone else uses it, then it
could be classified as waste.

Although not cut and dried, this is the definition
most likely to emerge from a government rethink on how
the UK implements waste rules from Europe. The rethink
is necessary in order to ward off infraction
proceedings.

Pig producers would prefer it if manure were viewed as
a resource because then they would escape the pending
panoply of licensing and associated red tape.

The likely compromise on the horizon is neither as bad
as it might have been (all manure is waste) or as good
as it could be (all manure is a resource).

Defra's interpretation is that where manure is used on
the same farm for improving the land, then it isn't
waste. But when there is some left over after reaching
'beneficial limits', then it is.

But what if you transfer the leftover material – the
'waste' – to another farm for use by someone else to
improve their land up to beneficial limits? In such a
case, the manure might be waste, but there again it
might not.

It would hinge on whether you were disposing of waste
(bad thing) or the other chap was recovering waste
(good thing). The likely outcome is that each case
will be judged on its own merits, which signals more
paperwork.

Defra is minded to be helpful. It would hope (if
Brussels will allow it) to exempt this business of
excess or exported manure from the full weight of the
European waste management licensing regulations.

But controls will still apply by way of registration
of the activity, which of course signals an element of
extra aggravation for producers.

Government is expected to issue a farm waste
consultation paper next month. All farmers on their
database will receive a summary of the consultation
document, drawing attention to the key questions to be
addressed.

In addition to the issue of whether slurry is or isn't
waste, there will be the question of whether burning
pesticide containers in a 'drum incinerator' is
acceptable. The Environment Agency has its doubts but
the NFU is keen to ensure continued use of this
'efficient disposal method', particularly in the
absence of any cost-effective alternative.

Hazardous waste (for instance lead acid batteries,
waste oil, waste pesticides and asbestos) will likely
be the subject of a separate consultation exercise.

Defra is expected to say farms with hazardous waste
need to be registered with the Environment Agency and
that all hazardous waste movements from farm will need
to be accompanied by a transfer note. Effectively this
means all farmers will have to register as hazardous
waste producers, and of course there will be a fee for
registration. And so the wheel keeps grinding. – D.S.

http://www.npa-uk.net/