INTENSIVE POULTRY INSTALLATIONS CASE STUDY PROJECT PREPARING SITE REPORTS FOR POULTRY FARMS & ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FOR POULTRY FARMS: SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE FOR IPPC APPLICATIONS

INTENSIVE POULTRY INSTALLATIONS CASE STUDY PROJECT PREPARING SITE REPORTS FOR POULTRY FARMS & ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS FOR POULTRY FARMS: SUPPLEMENTARY GUIDANCE FOR IPPC APPLICATIONS
UKPIRO2B
March 2004

Preparing:Site Reports for Poultry Farms:

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Why do I need to prepare a site report?: The Pollution Prevention and Control (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003 and the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 require that the condition of the site (normally the farm) must not deteriorate over time as a result of the permitted operation i.e. pig or poultry farming. In other words it must not be in a more polluted state than it was when the permit was issued. To determine whether the site has become more polluted requires an examination of the site prior to the permit being issued and a second examination when the permit is surrendered for any reason. The findings of these examinations must be recorded in a site report, the first of which forms part of the application. A comparison can then be made of the two site reports to determine if the site has become polluted as a result of the permitted operation.
It is therefore in the interests of the operator to ensure that the condition of the site is accurately described at the time of the application, otherwise they may not be able to prove that any contamination existed before a permit was issued and was not a result of the pemlitted operation. The Regulations don't consider whether the site is acceptable, they only require that a reference is established against which any deterioration as a result of the permitted activity can be assessed.
1.2 What constitutes the site?: The site includes all of the land where the activities of the installation are carried out. On a poultry farm for example this would usually include the buildings, hard standing areas around the buildings, access areas where vehicles manoeuvre, any swales, incineration, feed or manure storage areas. It would not include fields on which manure litter or slurry are spread as the nutrient status of fields used for land spreading must be recorded in a manure management plan. The site plan required as part of the main application (also required for the emergency plan) should clearly show the outline of the site and details of the activities being undertaken on the site.
1.3 Aim of this guidance: The purpose of this guidance is to provide straightforward advice on how to prepare a site report similar to that shown in the 'Example Application'¹. This approach is aimed specifically at intensive livestock units, the majority of which will have been constructed on green-field sites where the risk of previous contamination would normally be lower than brown field sites or those formerly used for industrial purposes. These limitations should be borne in mind if your site has previously been used as an industrial site. In such cases a more detailed site investigation may be required. The guidance will outline the data that is necessary to put together a basic report describing the site when the permit is applied for.
¹Pollution Prevention and Control (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003 and Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000. Application for a Permit -Example of Supporting Documentation. Prepared for SNIFFER Poultry Case Study UKPIR02A

Assessing Environmental Impacts for Poultry Farms

1. INTRODUCTION

1.1 Why do I need to assess the environmental impacts

The Pollution Prevention and Control (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003 and the Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000 require you to provide an assessment of the environmental impacts of the emissions from your farm. Questions in Section B4 of the application form ask for 'an assessment of the potential significant environmental effects of the foreseeable emissions from your installation'. A proper assessment of the impacts is necessary to allow appropriate permit conditions to be set and will help to ensure that your installation is operated in a sustainable manner.

1.2 Aim and scope of this guidance

Assessing environmental impacts can be a specialised task requiring the input of a number of scientific disciplines. The aim of this guidance is to provide farmers with the information to allow them to make a basic assessment of the environmental impacts without recourse to specialist help. This guidance follows the format set out in the guidance "Application for a Permit - Example of Supporting Documentation"¹ and aims to provide additional advice on the methods used, based on information you provide about your farm.

1.3 What will more detailed investigation involve?

In cases where more detailed investigation is required, emission data and weather data suitable for your location will be measured or estimated, and used in a mathematical atmospheric dispersion model. The model will calculate the spread of the emission, usually ammonia, odours, or small dust particles around the source. Most models will draw a contour plot around the source. The plot shows the ground level concentrations of the pollutants emitted and these concentrations can be compared with benchmark levels or standards. Atmospheric dispersion modelling services are available commercially.

1.4 Basic stages of environmental assessment

The basic stages of assessing the environmental impacts of your installation can be summarised:

identify the activities of the installation that are likely to affect the environment (the nature and quantity of emissions to air, water and land were established in Part B3.1 of the IPPC application form);
identify the potential effects of emissions on resources and receptors. Resources affected are likely to include air, water and soil, receptors may be crops, woodland plants or people affected by the emissions;
determine the pathways linking the emission with resources or receptors. Links between the source of pollution, such as animal housing, and the receptor may be direct or indirect. For example, ammonia from fan outlets may have a direct toxic effect on trees nearby. This would be a short term direct effect. Ammonia in the atmosphere falling on sensitive sites downwind of the farm may result in changes over time due to increased nutrients. This would be a long-term indirect effect;
predict the likely nature and magnitude of any effects. For example, the impact of any fertilising effects of ammonia on arable land may be negligible, but the same fertilising effect on a semi-natural woodland could be considerable. Spreading litter immediately up-wind of a housing estate could result in a severe but short term impact.

¹Pollution Prevention and Control (Northern Ireland) Regulations 2003 and Pollution Prevention and Control (Scotland) Regulations 2000. Application for a Pennit -Example of Supporting Documentation. Prepared for SNIFFER Poultry Case Study UKPIRO2A

Copies of this report are available from the Foundation, in electronic format on CDRom at £20.00 +VAT, or hard copy at £15.00, less 20% to FWR members.

N.B. The report is available for download from the SNIFFER Website