Chicken manure in UK is classified as industrial waste requiring poultry farms to comply with strict disposal regulations

Industrial poultry farms will now face stringent regulations regarding the disposal of chicken manure after the high court classified it as waste. The decision mandates that new US-style mega-farms in Herefordshire manage poultry manure under waste disposal protocols, demanding detailed and transparent plans to prevent environmental damage.

This judicial decision is pivotal for chicken units across England, coinciding with announcements from the English and Welsh governments about a £1m investment to study the severe pollution of the River Wye. The river, which stretches 155 miles from mid-Wales to the Severn estuary in England, has suffered a downgrade in health from “unfavourable-improving” to “unfavourable-declining.” This decline is attributed primarily to intensive chicken farming in the area, where approximately 23 million chickens are produced at any given time, and the resulting high phosphate levels from poultry manure spread on fields.

Research indicates that 70% of the phosphate in the River Wye catchment originates from agriculture, with a significant portion linked to chicken farming. A study has recommended an 80% reduction in poultry manure in the area and proposed reducing the overall number of chickens and exporting manure out of the region to protect the river.

Mrs Justice Lieven’s ruling came after the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) contested Herefordshire council’s waste rules, arguing that poultry manure should be considered an agricultural byproduct rather than waste. However, the judge upheld the classification of chicken manure as waste, noting the environmental harm caused by its misuse in the Wye catchment area.

As a result, new poultry operations in Herefordshire are now required to submit comprehensive plans during the planning application process that ensure the safe disposal of manure, including details on the end-use and application of the manure.

River Action, a campaign group that participated in the case, has lauded the decision as a landmark. Charles Watson, chair of River Action, emphasized that the ruling definitively categorizes the intensive factory production of livestock as an industrial process, necessitating that the resultant waste be treated accordingly.

Conversely, Rachel Hallos, vice-president of the NFU, expressed deep disappointment with the decision, highlighting the ongoing efforts by farmers to balance food production with environmental stewardship. The NFU is currently considering an appeal against the judgment, citing the extensive regulatory and voluntary measures already adopted by farmers to manage manure and fertilizer use effectively.