Topic: composting

[flytrapman]

My local council (WIGAN) have told me that I need to apply to the environment agency to have any composting materials including manure/woodchip/.leaves/ grass clippings delivered to my allotment.
The environment agency have now conceded I do not need any paperwork for manure but I have to apply for exemption for any other green materials.
No other person or allotments appear to be registered in the Wigan areas
As anyone else been told this or am I right in thinking they are discriminating / harassing me

[Chrispy]

I know a farmer has to fill in paper work if they import material to compost, I don't know if there is a minimum quantity that you can do without the paperwork, how much were you thinking of having delivered?

I don't think they are discriminating / harassing you, most of us don't have composting material delivered, rather just compost our own and any we collect, which you would not need any paperwork for which is why nobody else would be registered.

[Tee Gee]

Code: [Select]

I need to apply to the environment agency to have any composting materials including manure/woodchip/.leaves/ grass clippings delivered to my allotment.
I think this is PC going overboard I can understand farmers having to do paperwork particularly if they have been using certain weedkillers.

I checked with my manure supplier about him being able to move his treated manure off his farm and apparently he can providing he records it in writing to someone (who I don't know)

So I guess it is a bit like livestock movement where a record of the sire/damme etc goes with the sale.

They have done the infamous  bureaucratic shuffle my 'out tray' is empty yours if full....deal with it!

Then again regarding all the other items you listed perhaps they are safeguarding themselves against 'disease transfer' because they have no idea if their suppliers have dumped 'dodgy' gear on to them.

Which wouldn't surprise me when you consider if I have diseased plant life it goes into the council tip but where it goes from there .....I don't know!!

Thats my thoughts on the subject.....over to you others!!

[mat]

Unfortuantely you do need to contact the Environment Agency and ask for Exemption T23 http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/static/documents/Business/T23_exemption.pdf which even allotment holders need to adhere to... It does seem overkill and I am sure other EU states do not comply... but hey ho...

To be honest the allotment association should have this exemption certificate.  Ask whoever runs the allotments (council?) for details of their exemption!!!  There should be one, else everyone (in theory) who composts is doing so against the law!!!

It will not cost you any money  see question 31 on here http://www.defra.gov.uk/environment/waste/topics/farm/documents/agwaste-faq.pdf


Hope this helps... even if its not what you want...

mat

[flytrapman]

Thanks for the responses. A guy rang me from the environment agency yesterday and said he had checked the EA database and he could not find any allotments in the country that had registered.
A environment manager from Wigan Council who is respnsible for the collection of leaves also told me that he disposes of leaves to various allotment sites around thw Wigan area none of them are registered.
I was aware of the link which appears that you have to register for manure over 20 tons on another site Im a member of we have had 300 tons of manure delivered and the EA state that is OK

[Squash64]

Birmingham council delivers grass cuttings, leaves, wood chippings and logs to us.  We also have manure from local stables.  I never even thought about having permission for it.

[Nigel B]

Hope this helps... even if its not what you want...

mat

It helps me. Thanks.

Nigel

[Chrispy]

From EA website:

New regulations changing waste exemptions were introduced on 6 April 2010. They affect the types of waste operation that are exempt and the rules which control them.

The obligation to register exempt operations only applies to organisations such as companies, partnerships, authorities, societies, trusts, clubs, charities or other organisations. Individuals acting in a purely private capacity can still benefit from the exemptions but don‘t need to register.

I think form this, if an allotment site has a communal compost heap then it will have to be registered, but individuals heaps do not.

From this I would have thought that flytrapman would not have to register, so he needs to ask why he is not considered an individual.

[flytrapman]

Thanks for the responses after numerous freedom of information and environmental regulation requests I have received the following email from the environment agency

Dear Mr XXXX
From the information you've provided me, it would appear that the XXXX allotments are privately let and therefore you are operating as individuals. If that is the case then there is no requirement for you to send us a notification form. However, you still have a legal requirement to ensure the composting activity does not pose a risk to the environment or human health, In particular:
•   without risk to water, air, soil, plants and animals;
•   without causing nuisance through noise and odours;
•   without adversely affecting the countryside or places of special interest.