Slurry, solid manure and silage effluent

This guidance is for farmers who spread:

livestock slurry
solid manure from agriculture
silage effluent.

What you must do

In Northern Ireland all farmers must comply with rules under the Nutrient Action Programme.

DAERA: Nutrient Action Programme 2019-2022

In Scotland find out whether you are within a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ). If you are within an NVZ you will need to follow certain rules, such as limiting the amount of organic and inorganic nitrogen fertiliser you use and keeping records.

Scotland: nitrate vulnerable zones (NVZs)

You must not let livestock slurry, silage effluent or manure enter rivers, streams or other watercourses. If you allow polluting effluent to enter surface waters or groundwater you may be committing a pollution offence.

Preventing water pollution

In Scotland you must not apply slurry or organic fertilisers:

within 10 metres of any drainage ditch or any surface water or wetland
within 50 metres of any well, spring or borehole that supplies water for human consumption, or any uncapped well or borehole
on land that is waterlogged or covered with snow
on land with an average soil depth less than 40cm that overlies gravel or fissured rock .

You must not apply livestock slurry on frozen land.

Risk assessments must be carried out where organic fertilisers are to be applied to land, including the preparation of a map identifying areas of high risk where field heaps must not be located.

Precision equipment must be used to apply to slurry and liquid digestate.

Good practice

You should:

spread manure, dirty water and slurry from livestock premises to land in line with good agricultural practice
match the amount of nutrients you apply to the needs of your crops (especially phosphorous and nitrogen) by drawing up a nutrient management plan
supervise the work of contractors spreading your slurry to ensure they are aware of the codes of good agricultural practice and the advice on high-risk and non-spreading areas
monitor the content of metals in pig and poultry manures and in the soil on fields which receive regular applications.

A manure management plan will help you decide when and where to spread your organic manures. It should take into account slope, watercourses, drainage, soil type, crop type and rainfall. The codes of good agricultural practice will help you develop a manure management plan.

In Northern Ireland, see section 3 of the DAERA code of good agricultural practice for water, air and soil.

The NIEA has produced a leaflet about the problems caused by ammonia emissions and what can be done to reduce them.

NIEA: Leaflet on ammonia

In Scotland, see guidance on the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) Code:

PEPFAA Code: Slurry and Manure Archives - Farming and Water Scotland

Watch our short videos:

Further information

The codes of good agricultural practice also provide general advice on how to prevent nitrates and phosphorous leaching from your fields into the water environment.

In Northern Ireland, see Annex 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
In Scotland, see the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity (PEPFAA) Code.
Farming and Water Scotland: PEPFAA Code

In Northern Ireland:

Legislation.gov.uk: Nutrient Action Programme Regulations 2019

In Scotland:

Return to the menu of the Managing waste materials environmental topic