[ferreter51]

I have just been down to see  the owners of a horse-breeding establishment down the lane.  They tell me that there are new EU rules governing muck heaps which may affect gardeners.  At the risk of being contentious, do overpaid, shiny-backsided Eurocrats have nothing better to do with their time?

It seems that "private" muck heaps are now illegal, although what defines a muck heap as "private" does not seem to be specified.  "Commercial" muck heaps must now be cleared every year, so good, old and well-rotted manure may be a thing of the past.  They are going to show me the paperwork in a day or two, when they have fully digested the import of it themselves.

Meanwhile, in a world which would be quite happily divorced from Euro-Utopia, the owners have cleared the  main part of their heap, leaving quite a lot of rich, black, straw-free compost dating back to the 1980s and before in inaccessible corners. I am on my way to glean as many barrow-loads as possible before they have to clear that away, too.

[TheSpartacat]

*sigh*
I'd imagine this will advent the commercialisation of the disposal of "hazardous" bio-waste at high costs to the stables, if their manure piles come under the term "private".
Although one would wonder if you then have the pile rotting down on your own plot for a long time, it becomes illegal?
Can we just tell Europe "No, go away and mind your own business?"
How are they gonna know who might have mature manure?

[bigben]

A sh*t law in more ways than one!

[chimaera]

Worrying if this is for real, BUT did you get this from a reliable source or from one of the newspapers that specialise in misinterpreting European laws and having a xenophobic rant at their expense?

I have not been able to find reference to it other than some general laws regarding storage of (implied industrial quantities of) animal waste that are a major pollution risk and
 
"The private horse  owner to manage their manure is to compost it at home, in a properly constructed manure store for use on their own holding. ...
It is still possible for allotments to receive manure from large stable yards as long as they are registered as being exempt from the waste management licensing regulations, and a registered waste carrier transports the manure to them."

Charlie

[Ice]

It would be a good idea to get hold of the facts first rather than taking someones word for it.  As chimaera says, "worrying if true", but maybe the stables misinterpreted the ruling in some way.

 

[mumofstig]

there are new rules this year 

anyone who really wants to can download the pdf here
http://www.cla.org.uk/Policy_Work/Consultation_response_archive/Agriculture/Animal_By-Products/1004205.htm/

[Dominic]

Worrying if this is for real, BUT did you get this from a reliable source or from one of the newspapers that specialise in misinterpreting European laws and having a xenophobic rant at their expense?

EUROPE DOES HAVE A LAW ON BENDY BANANAS
They even repealed it for a few months during the "food crisis" a few years ago!!!!

This might be *intended* to stop people storing vast amounts of manure improperly, but it will affect everybody.

Remember when EU airspace was closed following the Icelandic Volcano?
That law was meant to stop planes flying directly through the plume.

[Ivor Backache]

there are new rules this year 

anyone who really wants to can download the pdf here
http://www.cla.org.uk/Policy_Work/Consultation_response_archive/Agriculture/Animal_By-Products/1004205.htm/

I don't think this applies. It is concerned with By Products which is feeding animals.
I googled 'horse manure regulations' and got this.

http://www.businesslink.gov.uk/bdotg/action/detail?itemId=1084590113&type=RESOURCES
And contained within it I found this:

Horse manure
In the UK, horse manure, while subject to certain controls, is not considered waste if all of the following apply:

a) it is used as soil fertiliser
b) that use is part of a lawful practice of spreading on clearly identified parcels of land
c) its storage is limited to the needs of those spreading operations to be carried out on agricultural holdings, whether yours or another's .

I collect horse manure, store it on my allotment and use it later.
It complies with the above
Returning to the original question, it does not matter how many people use it , providing abc above apply.

[fatcat1955]

Sounds like what comes out of a bull rather than a horse to me.

[ferreter51]

It would be a good idea to get hold of the facts first rather than taking someones word for it.  As chimaera says, "worrying if true", but maybe the stables misinterpreted the ruling in some way.

 

As I said in my original post, I will be seeing the paperwork in the next few days.  The source (the stables) is reliable.  I understand that the new rules will come into effect from May 15th.  Meanwhile I have been barrowing loads into my kitchen garden (just about cream-crackered now) and have obtained some old pallets to build large "compost bins" to contain it all.  The muck is totally composted now and I doubt if any snooping "H. M. 5h1t Inspector" will know the difference between composted muck and composted kitchen/garden waste.

I also understand that the new raft of regulations also governs the burning of waste.  It may be that a bonfire to burn autumn leaves or hedge cuttings is legal, but woe betide anyone burning anything other than the leaves or cuttings.  I will check that out also when I see the paperwork.

[mobilekat]

One yard has just been fined £20,000 for burning a muck heap, and they are clamping down, but the bits of the rules I have seen make it almost impossible for most people to have a muckheap, which is a tad barmy.

The real pollution issue tends to be from large scale farming, not a few horses!

[Aunt Sally]

The only thing I can find regarding manure and May 15th is this:

http://www.farminfo.org/property/manuremgmt.htm

I think the stables is a bit confused.