Proposals to replace free for life exemptions for agricultural waste with new-look paid-for exemptions which farmers would have to re-register for every three years could see farmers stop recycling and send more waste to landfill, the NFU said today.
Responding to a Government consultation on revised waste exemptions from environmental permitting, NFU Vice President Paul Temple said: "During the past two years we have worked extremely hard to raise awareness of the recently introduced waste regulations and encourage farmers to comply with them and over 81,000 farm premises have now registered waste exemptions.
"The main reason for this success is because the registration process has been simple and quick, and it was sold to the farming community that agricultural waste exemptions would be free of charge and for life. The decision to charge, only two years into the new waste controls, appears to be nothing more than the Government going back on this commitment."
Mr Temple said there was also concern that several activities currently allowed through exemptions would now only be possible with an Environmental Permit, which would put a larger regulatory and financial burden on farmers.
"We are concerned that these charges will act as a disincentive to do the right thing. Waste and its management are important issues and we must encourage recycling and recovery of waste where appropriate and these operations must be supported by good management practices and sensible exemptions.
"These proposals are being proudly proclaimed as a better regulation initiative. It is hard to see how the imposition of yet more costs and administrative burden on a significant industry like agriculture could be considered to be better regulation."
No comments have been made.