Mary Harney
Ceist:384 Miss Harney asked the Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry the controls, if any, currently in place to prevent farmers spraying slurry close to people's homes; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8194/97]
Written Answers. - Slurry Spraying.
The controls applicable to landspreading of wastes, including slurry spraying, are those put in place by the Minister for the Environment to prevent pollution. The legislation which applies are the Water Pollution Act, 1977, the Water Pollution (Amendment) Act, 1990 and the Waste Management Act, 1996. My Department does not have any statutory controls in place in this area.
My Department's involvement in this area is largely in recommending codes of good agricultural practice to farmers which will, correctly applied, maximise the nutrient value of such wastes and at the same time minimise the risk of water pollution from point or diffuse sources.
In 1996 my Department, in conjunction with the Department of the Environment, introduced the Code of Good Agricultural Practice to Protect Waters from Pollution by Nitrates. This code sets out the best farming and waste management practices to be followed in the interests of sustainable farming and avoidance of water pollution.
The storage and landspreading of all organic wastes, including slurries, are dealt with in this code which is freely available from my Department, the Department of the Environment, Teagasc offices, local authorities and offices of the regional fisheries boards.
Additionally farmers participating in the Rural Environment Protection Scheme (REPS) are precluded from spreading slurry within 50 metres of any private dwelling, school, public building or amenity area.
Landspeading is the most effective means of recycling organic wastes, including animal slurries, and accordingly, the emphasis from my Department's perspective is on advising and encouraging farmers to recycle such wastes in ways that respect the natural and living environments.