Environmental & Farm Waste Rules – Summary

Manure & Slurry

UK law seeks to prevent water and air pollution from silage, slurry and organic manures by setting minimum storage standards, siting/buffer rules, closed spreading periods (especially inside Nitrate Vulnerable Zones), record-keeping and regulator notification/permit requirements. Farmers must provide adequate storage so they do not need to spread during closed periods, must avoid pollution risks (buffers from water, impermeable areas for some operations) and should use low-emission spreading methods where possible. Legislation.gov.uk+1

Key points (quick bullets you can paste into a handout)

• Legal framework: The main UK regulation for silage, slurry and fuel oil stores is the SSAFO / Water Resources (Control of Pollution) regulations — sets design, location, construction and maintenance duties to prevent water pollution. Legislation.gov.uk
• Minimum slurry storage: Guidance requires sufficient storage to avoid risky spreading in winter — commonly a minimum of 4 months’ storage as a baseline (and higher minimums apply in NVZs and for some enterprises). Farmers should plan capacity to cover closed periods. AHDB
• Higher NVZ/storage expectations: If you’re inside a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone (NVZ) the rules tighten (longer required storage and specific spreading limits/closed periods for high-readily-available-N manures such as slurry, poultry manure and liquid digestate). NVZ rules also set application limits, closed periods by crop/soil type, and record-keeping duties. Always check whether your land is in an NVZ. GOV.UK
• Closed spreading periods: NVZs define closed periods during which high-RAN organic manures must not be applied (dates depend on soil type and whether land is grass or tillage). These dates are set in NVZ guidance and vary between soil types and devolved administrations — check current GOV.UK NVZ guidance for exact dates for your fields. GOV.UK
• Buffers & siting rules: Do not make or store silage within 10 metres of inland/coastal waters, and do not store field silage within 50 metres of a protected water supply. Stores and silage clamps must be located and constructed to prevent runoff and leaks. GOV.UK
• Regulator notifications & permits: Building or substantially enlarging slurry/silage stores normally requires notifying or getting approval from the relevant regulator (Environment Agency / SEPA / Natural Resources Wales / NIEA). Devolved nations have slightly different notice periods and procedures. In Scotland and Wales notification rules (and compliance checklists) apply. naturalresources.wales+1
• Do not fully empty stores in an emergency (Scotland guidance): If asked by regulators to spread to reduce overflow risk, Scottish guidance asks operators to retain ~2–3 weeks capacity rather than emptying stores completely. Follow regulator directions if spreading outside normal season is necessary. Scottish Environment Protection Agency
• Good practice for spreading (reduce pollution & ammonia): Avoid spreading on waterlogged, flooded, frozen or snow-covered ground; keep setbacks from watercourses; follow NVZ application rates and timing; and where possible use low-emission application (e.g., trailing shoe, injection) to cut ammonia losses. The Code of Good Agricultural Practice and other guidance list best methods. GOV.UK+1
• Record keeping: NVZ rules and farming-regulation guidance require records of slurry/manure storage, movements and applications (dates, volumes, fields, analysis) — keep these for the period specified in NVZ/regulatory guidance. GOV.UK

Quick practical checklist for the yard

1. Check if fields are inside an NVZ (GOV.UK NVZ maps). GOV.UK
2. Confirm your slurry storage months — aim for ≥4 months baseline; increase if NVZ or enterprise type requires it. AHDB
3. Respect buffers (10 m from water for making/handling silage; 50 m for protected supplies). GOV.UK
4. Never spread on frozen/waterlogged ground or during NVZ closed periods for high-RAN manures. GOV.UK
5. Use trailing shoe / injection where possible and keep clear, dated records of all spreadings. GOV.UK+1
6. If building/upgrading a store, notify the relevant agency and follow their structural/engineering standards. Scottish Environment Protection Agency+1

Topic	Key Requirements (UK Overview)
Main Regulations	SSAFO (Silage, Slurry & Agricultural Fuel Oil) rules + NVZ rules where applicable. Designed to prevent water & air pollution.
Slurry Storage Capacity	Must have sufficient storage to avoid spreading when conditions are risky. Common baseline ≈ 4 months (more in NVZs). Stores must be robust, leak-free and well maintained.
Construction & Siting of Stores	Stores must be built to approved design standards. No silage-making or storage within 10 m of watercourses or 50 m of protected water supplies. Impermeable bases and proper drainage required.
Regulator Notification	Building or enlarging a slurry/silage store usually requires notification to the Environment Agency / SEPA / NRW / NIEA before work begins.
Closed Periods (NVZs)	High readily-available N manures (slurry, poultry manure, liquid digestate) cannot be applied during NVZ closed periods (varies by soil type & crop).
Application Restrictions	Must not spread on frozen, waterlogged, flooded, or snow-covered land. Avoid spreading when heavy rain is forecast. Keep buffers from watercourses.
Application Rates (NVZs)	Must follow max N limits for the crop and farm type. Total organic manure N applications capped by NVZ rules. Field-level records required.
Low-Emission Spreading	Best practice encourages trailing shoe, dribble bar, or injection to cut ammonia losses. Splash plates discouraged.
Record-Keeping	NVZ farms must record manure movements, storage calculations, field applications, manure analysis and cropping. Must keep records for the specified period (usually 5 years).
Pollution Prevention Duty	Farmers must avoid causing or allowing pollution. Regulators can require action if stores are at risk of overflowing; emergency spreading may be allowed under supervision.