Register Waste Exemptions Early to Avoid Problems
21/08/06

English beef and sheep producers who wish to continue using tyres on silage clamps, shredding or burning felled trees, crushing or cleaning pesticide containers or a whole host of other previously unregulated activities should register for an exemption under the new Agricultural Waste Regulations as soon as possible, recommends the English Beef and Lamb Executive (EBLEX).

The new regulations which came into force this May mean that agriculture now has to comply with the strict waste management controls applied to other sectors of UK industry.

While banning the farm burial of all wastes and the burning of most, the regulations do allow a number of agricultural practices considered to be waste disposal to continue without a licence. But producers must register with the Environment Agency before 15 May 2007 for specific licence exemptions.

Foremost amongst the common farm practices identified as requiring waste disposal licence exemptions are:

• Using waste paper as animal bedding;
• Using tyres on silage clamps;
• Chipping logs and branches from trees and hedges, and shredding plant materials;
• Clearing mud and debris from streams and ditches and depositing it on their banks;
• Using a compactor bin to crush waste, baling waste plastic silage wrap, shredding paper packaging, crushing empty containers and cleaning empty pesticide containers;
• Burning logs and branches from fallen or felled trees;
• Burning untreated timber from fence mending;
• Burning hedge trimmings, leaves, bark or other plant materials;
• Disposing of diseased or spoiled plant tissues on the farm of production; and,
• Using building rubble as hard core.

Registering for exemptions is free of charge and the Environment Agency has tried to make it as simple as possible with tick-box registration packs. It is, however, concerned that a flood of applications just ahead of next year's deadline could make it difficult to register all exemptions in time.

Under these circumstances, EBLEX strongly advises beef and sheep producers to complete their applications as soon as possible rather than leaving them to the last minute and risking registration delays beyond the 15 May 2007 deadline.

Exemption registration packs and advice on completing them can be obtained by ringing the Environment Agency's dedicated helpline on 0845 603 3113. Guidance is also available and registration forms can be downloaded directly from the Agricultural Waste Regulations website page at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/subjects/waste.

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