To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for his assessment of spreading digestate from anaerobic digesters and the impact this has on the levels of nitrates and phosphorous in the environment.

Anaerobic digestate is a biofertiliser which provides crops and grass with readily available nutrients, and can be used as a substitute for chemical fertilisers.

The application of anaerobic digestate to land is regulated through the Nutrients Action Programme (NAP) 2019 – 2022 Regulations. The NAP applies to all farms in Northern Ireland and aims to protect water from pollution caused by nutrients from the spreading of animal manures, chemical fertilisers and other nutrient-containing materials onto land.

In the NAP for 2019 - 2022, new measures have been introduced specifically for anaerobic digestate. These include the mandatory use of Low Emission Slurry Spreading Equipment (LESSE) from 1 February 2020 for the spreading of anaerobic digestate and compulsory storage requirements on anaerobic digestate fibre. From 1 January 2020 all farms importing anaerobic digestate must soil test, prepare a fertilisation plan and have a nutrient content analysis of the digestate.

The purpose of these controls is to ensure digestate is applied to meet crop requirements and minimise the risks of losses to the environment through nutrient run-off to waterways or ammonia emissions to air.

If manure or slurry is mixed with other waste feedstocks, then the resultant anaerobic digestate will be waste and subject to waste regulatory controls, unless it complies with the Anaerobic Digestate Quality Protocol in addition to the NAP. A waste exemption is required and applicants must provide a nutrient management plan which documents applications to specific land banks according to crop requirement.