Ammonia and legislation
Legislation roadmap
UK agricultural ammonia emissions by management category (2016)
Ammonia emissions and agriculture The agricultural sector accounts for 88% of UK ammonia emissions. 23% of agriculture’s emissions are largely from the application of urea based fertilisers. The UK government is committed to reducing these ammonia emissions from agriculture - along with pollutants from other sources - and in both its 2018 and 2019 Clean Air Strategy document, it advised that legislation might be introduced to support this reduction.
Gothenburg Protocol, 2012
• Abate acidifcation • Eutrophication • Ground level ozone
Hard standings 7%
Sewage sludge application 2%
Grazing outdoors 8%
EU legislation, 2016
• National Emission Ceilings Directive • Ammonia vs 2005 • 2020: -8% (UK) • 2030: -16% (UK)
Livestock housing 27%
Manure storage 9%
Fertiliser application 23%
Manure application 25%
Clean Air Strategy 2018 (UK)
• Proposes the use of urease inhibitors with urea-based fertiliser, unless injected, by 2020 • Will provide a national code of Good
Source: National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory 2018
Legislation The path to UK legislation began in 1999 with the Gothenburg Protocol, designed to reduce acidifcation, eutrophication and ground level ozone emissions, including ammonia. The protocol was then revised in 2012 to include national emission reduction commitments for 2020 and beyond. This was implemented into EU legislation in 2016 as part of the National Emission Ceilings Directive, where countries including the UK and Ireland, committed to signifcant reductions. The UK government has since reaffrmed it’s commitment to these targets in recent strategy documents. It also introduced a Code of Good Agricultural Practice to serve as a guidance document to support reductions, which includes a recommendation to use urease inhibitors. The government is currently seeking consultation on approaches to reduce ammonia emissions. Legislation focusing on urea-based fertilisers is expected, with the use of urease inhibitors one of the main approaches currently being evaluated.
Agricultural Practice to reduce ammonia emissions
Code of Good
• Guidance document for reducing ammonia emissions • Supports the use of urease inhibitors with urea based fertilisers
Agricultural Practice for reducing ammonia emissions (UK)
New Agricultural Bill (UK)
• Financial assistance for delivering clean air and water • Includes reduction of ammonia emissions
Clean Air Strategy 2019 (UK)
• “A requirement to reduce emissions from urea-based fertilisers” • Consulting in 2019
to bring through legislation in the shortest possible timeframe
The UK government is legally obliged to reduce ammonia emissions by 8% by 2020 and by 16% by 2030, compared to 2005 levels
For more information on Limus ® , please visit agricentre.basf.co.uk/limus
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