In areas with intensive agricultural production and weakly protected or unprotected groundwater, a nitrate vulnerable zone has been determined for the protection of groundwater and surface water.
An area where agricultural activities have caused or may cause the concentration of nitrate ions in groundwater to be greater than 50 mg/l or where agricultural activities have caused a water body to be eutrophic or in danger of becoming eutrophic is considered as a nitrate vulnerable zone.
An action plan for a nitrate vulnerable zone shall be prepared to reduce the environmental risk arising from agricultural production to surface water and groundwater the aim of which is to create preconditions for the development of sustainable agricultural production and the preservation of good condition of the surface and groundwater and good quality of drinking water.
Setting up the stack of deep litter manure
A person who keeps animals of more than 5 livestock units must notify the Environmental Board of the establishment of a stack of deep litter manure or composting and the planned location of this activity at least 14 days before the commencement of the activity. The notification must be submitted in writing in accordance with the requirements of the Regulation.
A notification need not be submitted if you wish to keep solid manure and deep litter manure in stacks for up to two months before spreading on land under cultivation.
Keeping deep litter manure in stacks for up to 8 months
It is permitted to keep deep litter manure in stacks for up to eight months if its quantity does not exceed the quantity of use of one vegetation period. The storage in stacks is prohibited from 1 November to 31 December.
- A manure stack should be situated on flat land, at a distance of at least 50 meters further from a water body, a well or a sinkhole.
- A manure stack cannot be set up above a drainage pipe of a land improvement system, or in an area with unprotected groundwater, in a waterlogged area or an inundated area.
Composting deep litter manure
Manure may be composted primarily in a manure storage facility or in a stack on an area under cultivation.
- Deep litter manure can be composted in a stack only if the solids content of the manure is at least 25 percent.
- The solids content of manure to be composted shall be determined from manure produced by similar technology at the expense of the producer before starting to set up the stacks at least once in every two years from one sample by the methods of analysis of an accredited laboratory.
- Composting in a stack on the field is permitted in a volume not exceeding the limits for nutrients that are permitted to be spread on the same field pursuant to §161 (1) and (8) of the Water Act.
- The height of a composting manure stack at the time of setting up the stack may be two meters in maximum, and the form of the stack precludes accumulation of storm water on the stack.
- The manure to be composted is spread from a stack onto the field not later than within 24 months after starting to set up a stack.
- After removal of compost from a stack, vegetation is planted on the ground of the stack located on grassland not later than by the beginning of the next vegetation period.
- A new composting manure stack is not set up in the same spot for a period of five years after the spreading.
Grazing in water protection zone and spreading plan for liquid manure
On 1 October 2021, an amendment to the Water Act entered into force, pursuant to which the Environmental Board does not have to be notified of planned grazing in the water protection zone. It is also not required to submit spreading plans for liquid manure to the Environmental Board for review.
Information and requirements regarding the above-mentioned activities can be obtained from the Water Act.
Last updated: 01.12.2022
