Paragraph 1
Northern Ireland
If an application of organic manure (including livestock manure) or chemical fertiliser to steeply sloping land is proposed, a risk assessment must be undertaken in addition to meeting all relevant requirements of these Regulations. The factors set out in Table 1 shall be considered in making this risk assessment. Table 2 shall be consulted to ascertain whether fertiliser application is permitted.
Table 1
Fertiliser application to steeply sloping ground – risk assessment factors
| Factor | Risk | Liquid organic manures | Solid organic manures | F1Chemical fertiliser |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Distance from spreading area to waterway other than lake | High | less than 20 metres | less than 20 metres | less than 5 metres |
| Medium | 20 – 30 metres | 20 – 30 metres | 5 – 10 metres | |
| Low | greater than 30 metres | greater than 30 metres | greater than 10 metres | |
| F2Distance from spreading area to lake | High | less than 30 metres | less than 30 metres | less than 10 metres |
| Medium | 30 – 40 metres | 30 – 40 metres | 10 – 15 metres | |
| Low | greater than 40 metres | greater than 40 metres | greater than 15 metres | |
| Level of fertiliser applied | High | more than 25m3/ha | more than 25 tonnes/ha | greater than 120 kg/N/ha |
| Medium | 15 – 25m3/ha | 15 – 25 tonnes/ha | 80 – 120 kg/N/ha | |
| Low | less than 15m3/ha | less than 15 tonnes/ha | less than 80 kg/N/ha | |
| Soil conditions | High | very wet, compacted soil | very wet, compacted soil | very wet, compacted soil |
| Medium | wet, poached soil | wet, poached soil | wet, poached soil | |
| Low | dry, firm trafficable soil | dry, firm trafficable soil | dry, firm trafficable soil | |
| Forecast weather conditions for next 48 hours | High | heavy rainfall (more than 4 mm per hour) | heavy rainfall (more than 4 mm per hour) | heavy rainfall (more than 4 mm per hour) |
| Medium | moderate rainfall (0.5 – 4 mm per hour) | moderate rainfall (0.5 – 4 mm per hour) | moderate rainfall (0.5 – 4 mm per hour) | |
| Low | low rainfall (less than 0.5 mm per hour) | low rainfall (less than 0.5 mm per hour) | low rainfall (less than 0.5mm per hour) | |
| Arable land only – time to incorporation | High | more than 48 hours | more than 5 days | n/a |
| Medium | 12 – 48 hours | 3 – 5 days | n/a | |
| Low | less than 12 hours | less than 3 days | n/a |
Table 2
Risk assessment determination
| Risk level | Number of factors applicable | Is the land application of fertiliser permitted |
|---|---|---|
| High Risk | One or more factors | No |
| Medium Risk | Two or more factors | No |
| One factor | Yes | |
| Low Risk | One or more factors | Yes |
Annotations
Textual amendments
- F1
Words in Sch. 4 substituted (15.10.2019) by The Nutrient Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/183), regs. 1, 19(b)(i)
- F2
Words in Sch. 4 substituted (15.10.2019) by The Nutrient Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/183), regs. 1, 19(b)(ii)
Notes on Part 1
Textual amendments
- F1
Words in Sch. 4 inserted (Sch.4 renumbered as Sch. 4 Pt. 1) (15.10.2019) by The Nutrient Action Programme (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2019 (S.R. 2019/183), regs. 1, 19(a)