SCHEDULE 4Risk assessment for fertiliser application to steeply sloping land
F1PART 1
1.
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.
Factor | Risk | Liquid organic manures | Solid organic manures | F2Chemical 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 | |
F3Distance 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 |
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 |
F4PART 2Risk assessment for fertiliser application to land other than steeply sloping land
1.
If an application of organic manure (including livestock manure) or chemical fertiliser to 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 3 shall be considered in making this risk assessment. Table 4 shall be consulted to ascertain whether fertiliser application is permitted.
Factor | Risk Level | Organic Manures | Chemical Fertiliser | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Grassland | Other land | Grassland | Other land | ||
Slope percentage incline | High | 20% or more (See Part 1) | 15% or more (See Part 1) | 20% or more (See Part 1) | 15% or more (See Part 1) |
Medium | 10 to less than 20% | 10 to less than 15% | 10 to less than 20% | 10 to less than 15% | |
Low | Less than 10% | Less than 10% | Less than 10% | Less than 10% | |
Distance from spreading area to waterway other than lakes | High | Less than 10 metres (see Note 1) | Less than 2 metres | ||
Medium | 10 to 20 metres (see Note 2) | 2 to 5 metres | |||
Low | More than 20 metres | More than 5 metres | |||
Distance from spreading area to lake | High | Less than 20 metres | Less than 10 metres | ||
Medium | 20 to 30 metres | 10 to 15 metres | |||
Low | More than 30 metres | More than 15 metres | |||
Amount applied per hectare per application | High | More than 50m3 (liquid) or 50 tonnes (solid) | More than 150kg Nitrogen | ||
Medium | 25 to 50m3 (liquid) or 25 to 50 tonnes (solid) (see Note 2) | 120 to 150kg Nitrogen | |||
Low | Less than 25m3 (liquid) or 25 tonnes (solid) | Less than 120kg Nitrogen | |||
Soil conditions at time of proposed slurry application | High | Very wet, compacted soil | Very wet, compacted soil | ||
Medium | Wet, poached soil | Wet, poached soil | |||
Low | Dry, firm trafficable soil | Dry, firm trafficable soil | |||
Forecast weather conditions for next 48 hours | High | Heavy rainfall (more than 4mm per hour) | Heavy rainfall (more than 4mm per hour) | ||
Medium | Moderate rainfall (0.5 to 4mm per hour) | Moderate rainfall (0.5 to 4mm per hour) | |||
Low | Low rainfall (less than 0.5mm per hour) | Low rainfall (less than 0.5mm per hour) | |||
Arable land only – time to incorporation | Liquid | Solid | |||
High | More than 48 hours (see Note 3) | More than 5 days | Not applicable | ||
Medium | 12 to 48 hours | 3 to 5 days | Not applicable | ||
Low | Less than 12 hours | less than 3 days | Not applicable | ||
Note 1: If regulation 8(5)(f) applies, for risk level “high” substitute “medium”.
Note 2: During the month of February and the period of 30th September to 15th October each year the distances and quantity in regulation 8(9) apply: spreading must not be done within 15m of a waterway or 5m if regulation 8(5)(f) applies, 30m of a lake and the application rate must not exceed 30m3 or 30 tonnes per hectare.
Note 3: Where organic manure is applied to an established crop, incorporation is not required, for risk level “high” substitute “medium”.
Risk Level | Number of factors applicable | Is the land application of fertiliser permitted? |
|---|---|---|
High | One or more factors | No |
Medium | Three or more factors | No |
One or two factors | Yes | |
Low | One or more factors | Yes |