Ten Agricultural Waste Do's and Don'ts

Agricultural Waste Do's
  1. Only burn agricultural waste or "plant tissue" if you have prior consent form SEPA
  2. Reduce, re-use and recycle agricultural waste, if possible segregate plastic bags and wrapping materials. Collect and store agricultural waste plastic straight after use and contact an approved plastic-recycling scheme if the plastic is deemed no longer usable on farm. We've put together a database here at Solway to help you recycle plastic locally and arrange for farm waste disposal.
  3. Keep all out buildings farm steadings and farmlands clean and tidy and free. Remove unsightly litter from farming activity, especially used agricultural plastics, scrap and containers.
  4. Store agricultural waste securely, thus reducing environmental damage and any risk to human health, and excellent way of doing this is with Solway Products Recycling Bin.
  5. monitor water use carefully to minimise leakage or wastage, especially where any seepage is increasing levels of agricultural waste production (for example slurry build up)
  6. Get the plastic recycled so that it can be put back into the loop by Solway Recycling who will use your farm waste to produce recycled plastic products like eco hen houses, duck coops, stokbord, plastic dog kennels, plastic pig arks, sheep pens and many other agricultural recycled plastic products.
  7. Burn oil waste in any appliance once prior authorisation has been granted by SEPA for burning this agricultural waste.
  8. Recycle waste oil, lubricants, scrap metal and tyres.
  9. If possible sort your agricultural waste into categories for example string, net, fertiliser bags, cardboard and paper, buckets and containers, feed bags, silage waste.
  10. Separate into hazardous and no hazardous waste some materials are toxic and should be handled with extreme care. If ever in doubt (COSHH - control of substances hazardous to health) guidlines should be available on request from your product supplier this is their legal responsibility.

Agricultural Waste Don'ts

  1. Do not burn any agricultural waste without prior consent from SEPA.
  2. You should not dispose of any agricultural waste, including scrap metal,agricultural plastic or other rubbish including domestic, on farmland or farm tips without knowledge of SEPA the regulating body.
  3. Don't tolerate fly-tipping if you suspect anyone of such activity they are breaking the law and possibly their suppliers codes of conduct. You can report such activities on the dumb dumpers hotline - 0845 2304090.
  4. Don't under any circumstances import anybody else's waste without proper authority from SEPA or the local authority Solway Recycling is authorised by SEPA to remove and accept your agricultural waste to recycle plastic on your behalf.
  5. Do not give agricultural waste to any third party licensed or not without providing them with a proper written description of what the waste is if in doubt contact Solway Recycling to see how we can help you.
  6. Don't horde plastic or other agricultural waste that you may intend for recycling or disposal for any length of time you may end up needing an expensive landfill permit.
  7. Burn plastic products it is dangerous and damaging to the environment.
  8. Disrespect waste oil or asbestos sheeting these waste products can be extremely toxic and should be handled with great care.
  9. Use containers of pesticide for any form of storage potential chemical seepage can be very dangerous if in doubt consult the "Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Pesticides on Farms and Holdings" or Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH) (SI 2002 Number 2677).
  10. Dispose of agricultural scrap as this is outlawed by the Landfill Regulations without a permit from SEPA. Dumping of scrap materials may pose a threat to human health and animal welfare. You should think about the fact that the dumping of scrap tends to attract scavengers, vermin and is a blight on the landscape also.