Peat onto arable land

[snipe]

got chance of some peat that is been stripped off a large building site, would spread on heavy open cast clay arable land. Apart from acting as a soil conditioner would it have any value/ or detriment. What would the legalitys be. Will have a word with the Environment agency, but thought I'd ask on here first so I know how to word it so I don't say the wrong thing

 

[Luke Cropwalker]

If it is being stripped off a site I think it would be classed as a waste @360farmsupport is the chappy to ask.

 

[capfits]

Acidity?
The guys growing blue berries up here often incorporate it into beds for them.
Other than than I would only think it would do good.

 

[A1an]

We try to throw soil on our peat!

 

[Pond digger]

It’ll be fine mixed in with clay soil. I would check ph before drilling the area though.

 

[Wastexprt]

got chance of some peat that is been stripped off a large building site, would spread on heavy open cast clay arable land. Apart from acting as a soil conditioner would it have any value/ or detriment. What would the legalitys be. Will have a word with the Environment agency, but thought I'd ask on here first so I know how to word it so I don't say the wrong thing

As @Luke Cropwalker says, it is indeed a waste. Would need a lot more detail really to be sure. It may need a permit and/or restoration deployment. If you have a large area to do there's all sorts of potentials benefits and pitfalls.

 

[Dry Rot]

If it is being stripped off a site I think it would be classed as a waste @360farmsupport is the chappy to ask.

Not if he can argue the soil improvement angle. Lime is applied to land and that is basically ground up rock!

I got access to screenings from a grain processors. Because the machinery was faulty, it was about 90% grain, but had debris mixed in so "had to be dumped". Worrying that it might be classed as waste and all that that entails, I contacted the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). They told me it was not a waste material as I was going to be feeding it to hens! (Yes, I even made sure I got it in writing). A lot will depend on how you argue it.

 

[Wastexprt]

Not if he can argue the soil improvement angle. Lime is applied to land and that is basically ground up rock!

I got access to screenings from a grain processors. Because the machinery was faulty, it was about 90% grain, but had debris mixed in so "had to be dumped". Worrying that it might be classed as waste and all that that entails, I contacted the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). They told me it was not a waste material as I was going to be feeding it to hens! (Yes, I even made sure I got it in writing). A lot will depend on how you argue it.

Unfortunately, the EA isn't as pragmatic as SEPA. In your case, as long as the waste was fit for use as a food, and is classified as such at the point of production, it can be described as a co-product as opposed to a waste. Similar to stock feed potatoes etc.

Lime is a product as it is extracted for a specific purpose, the problem is that the peat has to be excavated and then discarded, so it falls under the waste legislation remit. There are routes through CL:AIRE where, subject to certain restrictions can be classed as a 'non-waste'.

As the producer is required to 'discard' the peat it becomes a waste. The area surrounding soils and the destination after excavation isn't particularly clear cut and often flies in the face of common sense. But as discarded soils can often be used in a less than legitimate manner it is perhaps, understandable.

 

[ollie989898]

WTF is it with agencies and quangos and all that carp, just get it and spread it.

 

[simmy_bull]

Unfortunately, the EA isn't as pragmatic as SEPA. In your case, as long as the waste was fit for use as a food, and is classified as such at the point of production, it can be described as a co-product as opposed to a waste. Similar to stock feed potatoes etc.

Lime is a product as it is extracted for a specific purpose, the problem is that the peat has to be excavated and then discarded, so it falls under the waste legislation remit. There are routes through CL:AIRE where, subject to certain restrictions can be classed as a 'non-waste'.

As the producer is required to 'discard' the peat it becomes a waste. The area surrounding soils and the destination after excavation isn't particularly clear cut and often flies in the face of common sense. But as discarded soils can often be used in a less than legitimate manner it is perhaps, understandable.

Could the OP not buy his soil conditioning product for a peppercorn price? Then it would be a product that was purchased fit for purpose and not waste?

 

[farmerm]

Surely the peat is being "harvested as a soil improvement product" prior to site excavation for building work.. as such it's not a waste is it? Can you get me some...

Importing some nasty weeds would be my concern. I'd probably like it sitting in a heap for 12 months before spreading.

 

[Wastexprt]

Could the OP not buy his soil conditioning product for a peppercorn price? Then it would be a product that was purchased fit for purpose and not waste?

Unfortunately putting a price on a waste material, doesn't mean it falls outside waste regulations.

 

[Wastexprt]

Surely the peat is being "harvested as a soil improvement product" prior to site excavation for building work.. as such it's not a waste is it? Can you get me some...

Importing some nasty weeds would be my concern. I'd probably like it sitting in a heap for 12 months before spreading.

It isn't though, it's a building site stripping topsoil, therefore it's being discarded and falls under waste regulations.

And that's why there are controls on importing waste.

 

[Brisel]

WTF is it with agencies and quangos and all that carp, just get it and spread it.

Would you have told a client to do that? The EA would make the client dig it all up again & no produce from that ground would be allowed to be sold into the food chain. That would please your indemnity insurers! A few phone calls & ssome sampling are far cheaper.

 

[ollie989898]

Would you have told a client to do that? The EA would make the client dig it all up again & no produce from that ground would be allowed to be sold into the food chain. That would please your indemnity insurers! A few phone calls & ssome sampling are far cheaper.

Ha ha ha, I know people who have done similar things and they did not trouble themselves by asking me or anyone else first. By the time it is spread and ploughed in no one is any the wiser!

Seen folk spread topsoil around on fields several times.

 

[Brisel]

Luckily the OP has indicated that they will be asking the EA anyway, or a case of JFDI after discussing it on the internet might not go down well in court if they trace it back to a TFF account...

The seed police (BSPB) monitor TFF, the RPA have a couple of accounts out of 28,417 registered members... you just can't keep a secret anymore in here.

 

[Heathland]

Luckily the OP has indicated that they will be asking the EA anyway, or a case of JFDI after discussing it on the internet might not go down well in court if they trace it back to a TFF account...

The seed police (BSPB) monitor TFF, the RPA have a couple of accounts out of 28,417 registered members... you just can't keep a secret anymore in here.

Don't tell'em your name Pike!








Sorry ,just had too.

 

[ollie989898]

Luckily the OP has indicated that they will be asking the EA anyway, or a case of JFDI after discussing it on the internet might not go down well in court if they trace it back to a TFF account...

The seed police (BSPB) monitor TFF, the RPA have a couple of accounts out of 28,417 registered members... you just can't keep a secret anymore in here.

I sincerely hope they are reading. I wish they would actually post. I'd be interested to know what they all intend to do when Jeremy Corbyn sacks them all.

 

[Pond digger]

Unfortunately putting a price on a waste material, doesn't mean it falls outside waste regulations.

To describe peat as a waste is completely incomprehensible. The EA is a pathetic and piteous, self serving organisation, that squanders public money through its own ineptitude, whilst being completely blind to the environmental harm caused by its own misguided actions.

 

[Dry Rot]

Come the Revolution....

I was pondering this one at work today. About 20 years ago an oil support company got a lease of land to create a structure for welding pipes together. When that proved to be unprofitable, it was closed down leaving a number of very large lumps of concrete and a substantial quantity of heavy gravel that form the base. The gravel was exported to create the foundations of a new school about 25 miles away. I don't recall any mention of that material being a "waste product" and by all accounts, someone made a small fortune on the deal. Apart from that, I couldn't possibly comment.