In other waste news, the Environment Agency has published guidance on the new rules for agricultural waste, which provide practical advice for farmers on how they can comply with the provisions contained in the Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations SI 2006/937. As of 15 May 2007, farmers must meet new requirements on hazardous waste and the stricter controls on agricultural waste that they impose.
Farmers now need to know what wastes are produced on their farms and whether they fall under the classification of hazardous waste. Where hazardous waste is produced, this can only be passed to those authorised to handle it, using a consignment note, and disposal can only occur at an authorised site. Where more than 500kg of hazardous waste is produced each year, farmers will need to register their farm with the Environment Agency. A separate guidance document which provides an introduction to the duty of care has also been published, providing advice on how farmers should handle such waste, as well as setting out details on the agricultural waste transfer note which they must use when they pass their waste on.
Further information on this guidance can be found at http://cedr.ec/8l.
