Nitrogen Vulnerable Zones (England) (NVZ)
4a
NVZ rules relating to manure storage require:
Storage of slurry, pig and poultry manure: 6 months storage capacity required for pig and poultry manure (1st Oct – 1st April) and 5 months for cattle slurry (1st Oct – 1st March)
Storing solid manures: Solid organic manures must be stored securely e.g in a container, a covered building or on an impermeable surface where there is the facility to collect run off (note any liquid arising from livestock manure is classed as slurry and must be contained appropriately). Alternatively it can be stored on a temporary field site (providing it can be stacked in a free-standing heap without slumping). NOTE that poultry manure that does not contain bedding (i.e manure from beneath slats and perches in laying sheds) that is stored in a temporary field heap must be covered with an impermeable material. Temporary field sites must be 10m from surface water (or 30m if the land slope is >12 deg), 50m from a borehole, must not be on land at risk of flooding and must not be on the same area more than 1 year in 3
Additionally the Recommendations include:
DAIRY ensure the volume of slurry to store is minimised with separation of clean and dirty water and covering of stores where possible.
4b
NVZ regulations relating to manure spreading require:
Slurry spreading method: Low trajectory (4m) spreading equipment
Soil incorporation of poultry manure, slurry and digestate: Poultry manure, slurry and liquid digestate must be worked into soil within 24 hours and all other manure worked into soil if on sloping land and within 50m of surface water. Exception if trailing hose, shoe band spreader, dribble bar or injector used.
Watercourse buffers: Maintain buffers around surface water and boreholes: 10m buffer for surface water, 50m from borehole. Do not spread on waterlogged, flooded or snow-covered land or land that has been frozen more than 12 hours in the previous 24.
