New controls on the management of farm wastes will help clean up the environmental performance of agriculture. The changes won’t be easy for many farmers, but they are not before time.

Speaking today following the launch of the consultation on draft regulations for agricultural waste, Chartered Institution of Wastes Management (CIWM) chief executive officer Steve Lee said: ‘The UK lags behind most of Europe in the regulation of farm wastes; it’s the one sector that has been left behind in the drive for better protection of the people and the environment from waste. We recognise that the change from existing practice is not going to be easy so farmers should engage professional help in making their waste management decisions.’

The Chartered Institution of Wastes Management welcomes the publication of the consultation on Agricultural Waste Regulations. The regulations, when implemented in the UK, will bring agricultural waste into line with other controlled wastes from households, commerce and industry under the Waste Framework Directive.

Most agricultural waste is presently disposed of on-farm by open burning or burial in ‘farm dumps’. The regulations will ensure that agricultural waste including pesticide containers, silage wrap, tyres, batteries and oil are managed, recovered or disposed of in a manner that protects the environment and human health.

These controls will apply to all agricultural wastes; however, the proposed regulations include exemptions and exclusions such as manures and slurries where applied to land for agricultural benefit, licensing for reuse and recycling and registration for waste carriers.