Environmental guidance for your business in Northern Ireland & Scotland
Notify your environmental regulator in writing before you use new or substantially reconstructed or enlarged silage stores.
In Northern Ireland, the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) requires at least 28 days' notice.
In Scotland, SEPA requires at least 28 days' notice.
Contact your environmental regulator
You must design and construct your silos either:
If you don't use BS 5061 or BS 5502, you must:
Store any open baled silage that is wrapped or sealed in impermeable bags at least 10m away from any water, including field drains and ditches into which silage effluent could enter if it were to escape.
You must not make field heap silage.
Store silage made in bulk bags at least 10m from any water, including field drains and ditches into which silage effluent could enter if it were to escape. You must use bags that are made of 1,000 gauge polyethylene or equivalent and you must seal them to prevent effluent escaping. The bags must be stored on a firm, level surface with facilities to safely remove excess effluent.
The codes of good agricultural practice provide guidance on how to avoid polluting water with silage effluent.
In Northern Ireland, see section 2 of the DARD code of good agricultural practice for water, air and soil.
DAERA: Code of good agricultural practice for the prevention of pollution of water, air and soil
NIEA SSAFO Regulations in Northern Ireland
In Scotland, see section 7 of the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) Code.
Groundwater in Northern Ireland, DAERA have produced a leaflet to raise awareness about this untapped resource
EU Exit, EU Exit useful information
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