NOAH reminds farmers of Groundwater deadline

Time is running out for farmers to beat the Groundwater Regulation registration deadline. Farmers not registered with the Environment Agency (EA) by 31st March will have to stop disposal to land of listed products, including OP and SP sheep dips, until their application has been processed.

The National Office of Animal Health welcomes the EA's revised application form, which clarifies several areas. But it warns farmers to be proactive: telephone the EA rather than wait to be contacted. The general enquiries phone line is 0645 333111.

'And other livestock farmers should not be complacent.' NOAH technical executive Stephen Dawson says: 'If you are not disposing of sheep dips to land, it does not mean that you are exempt, most other farm chemicals are covered by the disposal legislation. Other farmers should phone the Environment Agency and check to make sure their disposal activities actually do not come within the regulations.'

19 March 1999

Notes for Editors

1. For further information contact Roger Cook or Alison Glennon or Stephen Dawson at NOAH, tel. +44 (0)181 367 3131
2. The National Office of Animal Health was formed on 1 January 1986 to represent the UK companies which research, develop, manufacture and market licensed animal health products. The association has 34 corporate members and 10 associate members. In 1998 NOAH's members accounted for around 95% of the £384 million UK animal health market, with additional valuable exports.
3. The Groundwater Regulations 1998 (S.I. 1998 No. 2746) were made on 6 November 1998, and implement the Directive into UK law.
4. These regulations introduce:
   • a new requirement for an authorisation for the disposal of List I or List II substances (where a waste management licence is not already required)
   • a new procedure for prohibiting or regulating other activities in or on land which pose an indirect threat to groundwater from List I or List II substances.
5. There are exemptions from the regulations for (among other things) small quantities and concentrations of List I or List II substances, but no clear guidance on what this means in practice.
6. The Environment Agency registration helpline number is: 0645 333111