Doesn't sound good

[milkloss]

Microplastics in sludge and digestate is an issue that is swept under the carpet. The Environment Agency know that the problem exists, that land is already contaminated under their watch, but allow the spreading to continue.The fact that they allow farmers to pay to contaminate their soil permanently is shameful.

when it comes to sewage sludge etc I disagree with your sentiments. Farmers are actually keen on the product and desire to have it spread on their fields…… it’s all about £. Rather than blame the EA, take responsibility for your own actions.

sorry, had to say it.

 

[Walton2]

I do take responsibility for my actions....The EA would be on my case if I carried out any ,of a vast number of operations on my farm. They are,quite rightly, particularly vigilant about our use of inorganic and organic chemicals for instance. Yet they continue to turn a blind eye to the practice of spreading microplastics, whether some farmers are ignorant of it’s presence in sludge or digestate is surely partly their responsibility.

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Criminal!

Shocked to read the article

 

[Johnnyboxer]

Makes a strong case for organic farming

 

[kill]

Criminal!

Someone needs to be jailed over this

 

[Sid]

Microplastics in sludge and digestate is an issue that is swept under the carpet. The Environment Agency know that the problem exists, that land is already contaminated under their watch, but allow the spreading to continue.The fact that they allow farmers to pay to contaminate their soil permanently is shameful.

Same with astro turf on cow tracks. Micro plastic everywhere transported on cows feet and ingested by cows and wildlife.

 

[Barleycorn]

We had a bloke many years ago who injected God knows what, fish waste and slaughterhouse waste etc. One field took about 5 years to recover, never again!

 

[Sid]

We had a bloke many years ago who injected God knows what, fish waste and slaughterhouse waste etc. One field took about 5 years to recover, never again!

A block we took on 20+years ago first year I ploughed the roadside field and worked it down, the wind blew and the hedge was covered in sanitary towels from septic tank waste that had been "used"

 

[DrWazzock]

I stopped taking horse muck because of the amount of shredded tyre waste in it from ménages (and unknown herbicide residues). The amount of crap that’s getting into the environment in the name of “recycling” is quite worrying. And how much string and net wrap goes through the straw bedding machine? I won’t import any waste for this reason. What do these microplastics breakdown to?
Would be better to cleanly incinerate a lot of waste in my view rather than push it around the environment until it “disappears”. But a lot of people just don’t give one, farmers included.

 

[kill]

I stopped taking horse muck because of the amount of shredded tyre waste in it from ménages (and unknown herbicide residues). The amount of crap that’s getting into the environment in the name of “recycling” is quite worrying. And how much string and net wrap goes through the straw bedding machine? I won’t import any waste for this reason. What do these microplastics breakdown to?
Would be better to cleanly incinerate a lot of waste in my view rather than push it around the environment until it “disappears”. But a lot of people just don’t give one, farmers included.

When I was doing a lot of bale wrapping there was one site in particular where the farmer use to just drop the wrap from a bale and drive it into the mud and done that for years and it will be there for centuries. Always had to cut it off from around the axles of the tractor before leaving there and I’d guess that’s very similar to microfibres from astroturf

 

[kiwi pom]

I stopped taking horse muck because of the amount of shredded tyre waste in it from ménages (and unknown herbicide residues). The amount of crap that’s getting into the environment in the name of “recycling” is quite worrying. And how much string and net wrap goes through the straw bedding machine? I won’t import any waste for this reason. What do these microplastics breakdown to?
Would be better to cleanly incinerate a lot of waste in my view rather than push it around the environment until it “disappears”. But a lot of people just don’t give one, farmers included.

Now you mention microplastics, this was on the news tonight.
Plastic with your rice sir?
High levels of microplastics found in seven different rice samples, new Australian study finds | 1 NEWS | TVNZ

 

[Ribble]

I suppose private companies emptying septic tanks is the likely waste source?

 

[Stuart J]

Toxic fertiliser causes dairy herd destruction

A FARMER in the north of England has been forced to shut down his dairy farm over concerns that contaminated liquid fertiliser may be linked to the…

www.thescottishfarmer.co.uk

Does anyone know more on this story? What was the 'fertiliser' he had spread? Who was the supplier?

 

[jondear]

Thread running already

 

[Highland Mule]

There are at least two other threads on this already Stuart - one in General and one in Dairy - but all seem sketchy and lacking in detail.

@Chris F - is it worth combining them?

 

[jondear]

Doesn't sound good

Microplastics in sludge and digestate is an issue that is swept under the carpet. The Environment Agency know that the problem exists, that land is already contaminated under their watch, but allow the spreading to continue.The fact that they allow farmers to pay to contaminate their soil...

thefarmingforum.co.uk

 

[ridger]

The thing that I picked up on was calling the waste fertiliser. Could be a green party article

 

[Chae1]

@Stuart J

 

[icanshootwell]

Even the so cold green waste is full of plastic, what damage is that doing in the long term!!

 

[Sid]

When I was doing a lot of bale wrapping there was one site in particular where the farmer use to just drop the wrap from a bale and drive it into the mud and done that for years and it will be there for centuries. Always had to cut it off from around the axles of the tractor before leaving there and I’d guess that’s very similar to microfibres from astroturf

Bale wrap is a big lump that would break down in a relatively small area. Covered by "new wrap" every year it would layer up in situe, still not a good thing.

Astro turf on the other hand already has fine strands on it that are by their very nature of bring disposed of falling apart, those strands stick to and between hooves of cattle and get walked onto the grazing area ingested by cows and spread around the field and through the dung.