Council Directive of 12 December 1991 concerning the protection of waters against pollution caused by nitrates from agricultural sources (91/676/EEC)

1. The measures shall include rules relating to: U.K.

1.

periods when the land application of certain types of fertilizer is prohibited;

2.

the capacity of storage vessels for livestock manure; this capacity must exceed that required for storage throughout the longest period during which land application in the vulnerable zone is prohibited, except where it can be demonstrated to the competent authority that any quantity of manure in excess of the actual storage capacity will be disposed of in a manner which will not cause harm to the environment;

3.

limitation of the land application of fertilizers, consistent with good agricultural practice and taking into account the characteristics of the vulnerable zone concerned, in particular:

(a)

soil conditions, soil type and slope;

(b)

climatic conditions, rainfall and irrigation;

(c)

land use and agricultural practices, including crop rotation systems;

and to be based on a balance between:

(i)

the foreseeable nitrogen requirements of the crops,

and

(ii)

the nitrogen supply to the crops from the soil and from fertilization corresponding to:

• the amount of nitrogen present in the soil at the moment when the crop starts to use it to a significant degree (outstanding amounts at the end of winter),

• the supply of nitrogen through the net mineralization of the reserves of organic nitrogen in the soil,

• additions of nitrogen compounds from livestock manure,

• additions of nitrogen compounds from chemical and other fertilizers.