Date 21 May 1997
Ref 19/97
SEPA Urges Farmers to Check Silage
Storage Facilities
With the silage making season getting into full swing, the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) is urging farmers to make sure their silage storage facilities will not cause pollution. SEPA can serve a notice requiring upgrading if a silo or silage effluent tank is a pollution risk. SEPA also has powers to take action against those who cause pollution, with fines up to £20,000 and/or imprisonment possible.
Silage effluent is the most common cause of agricultural pollution in Scotland and is up to 200 times more polluting than raw domestic sewage. Some 70% of agricultural pollution incidents in 1995 were caused by poor management, so it is in farmers' interests to take action now. SEPA inspectors have already made farm visits to check silage clamps. SEPA wants to encourage farmers to make regular checks of their drainage systems and watercourses to make sure no effluent is escaping. SEPA aims to work positively with farmers to minimise pollution.
"Preventative action is always preferable," said Colin Bayes, Head of Policy (Water), "We want to stop pollution before it happens and ask farmers to help by wilting crops in the field, and by checking their facilities regularly. Putting things right before pollution occurs saves everyone a lot of time and money.
"Farmers have already done a lot of good work on this serious pollution problem. SEPA’s 'Silos and Silage Effluent' leaflet and The Scottish Office 'Code of Good Practice for the Prevention of Environmental Pollution from Agricultural Activity', provide the help farmers need and, of course, SEPA staff will be happy to offer guidance."
SEPA has offices throughout Scotland. Farmers are asked to check their facilities and to contact their local office for advice.
ENDS
NOTES
Pollution Regulations: SEPA's power to take action to prevent pollution from silage effluent comes from the Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural fuel oil) (Scotland) Regulations 1991. SEPA has the power to issue a notice requiring action to improve storage installations which pose a pollution risk. Anyone contravening the Regulations could be liable to a fine up to £20,000 and/or imprisonment.
Pollution Event statistics: a pollution event is where a pollutant has reached or appears to have reached a watercourse. Preliminary figures for 1996 indicate a total of 307 agricultural pollution events. The main source of this pollution was from silo units (50 events) and silage effluent collecting tanks (33 events). The remaining events were caused mainly by slurry stores and cattle housing yards.
Leaflets: SEPA has recently published a set of ten leaflets giving farmers advice on how best to minimise agricultural pollution. The leaflets are available free from SEPA Public Affairs. The National Farmers' Union of Scotland, the Scottish Agricultural College and the Scottish Office all helped in the production of the leaflets.
More information from SEPA Public Affairs at publicrelations@sepa.org.uk
Monica Straughan Tel: 01786 457723. Mobile: 0421 942498
Maggie Hamilton Tel: 01786 452724. Mobile: 0370 686073
If you have a query relating to SEPA and its work please contact info@sepa.org.uk
Updated: 12 December 1997
© SEPA 1997