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Environmental sustainability – legislation, policy drivers and perks

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 February 2018

Alan Brewer*
Affiliation:
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Rural Development Service, Technical Advice Unit, Area 4A, Ergon House, 17 Smith Square, London SW1P 3JR, UK
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Extract

In this context, legislation to protect the environment is taken to mean that affecting water, soil and air and excludes wildlife, habitats and bio–diversity. In practice, of course, resource protection impacts on wildlife, habitats and bio–diversity as well as on human health.

Agriculture is responsible for over 70% of nitrates and over 40% of phosphates in English waters (Defra, 2002). Elevated levels of these nutrients can contribute to eutrophication of marine and freshwater and cause ecological harm. Agriculture is also responsible for around 80% of UK ammonia emissions to air, although the contribution from pig farming is about 9% (Defra 2002). This contributes to acid rain that can damage forests, lakes and rivers; and it adds nitrogen to nutrient–poor soils (e.g. heathland) that can change the type of vegetation. And each year there are many complaints to local authorities about odours from agricultural premises (Defra 2002).

There are a number of pieces of legislation that affect or will affect pig production that seek to avoid, limit or minimise emissions to the environment: these include the Nitrates Directive, Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Directive (larger pig units), Water Framework Directive, Control of Pollution (Silage, Slurry and Agricultural Fuel Oil) Regulations 1991, Animal By–products Regulation, and the proposed Waste from Mines and Quarries and Agricultural Premises (England and Wales) Regulations that will implement the Waste Framework Directive for agriculture.

Type
Section 4: Dealing with the inevitable
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Production 2014

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References

European Commission, 2002. IPPC Reference document on best available techniques for intensive rearing of poultry and pigs. http://eippcb.jrc.es/pages/FActivities.htm Google Scholar
Defra, 2002. Directing the flow: priorities for future water policy.Google Scholar
Defra Publications, PB 7510.Google Scholar
Defra, 2002. Ammonia in the UK. Defra Publications, PB 6865.Google Scholar
Defra, 2002. The Air Code. Defra Publications. PB 0618.Google Scholar
Defra, 2003. Entry Level Agri-Environment Scheme Pilot. Defra Publications, PB 8033.Google Scholar
Defra booklets and information is available on http://www.defra.gov.uk Google Scholar