UK Statutory Instrument 2015 United Kingdom

Nitrate Pollution Prevention Regulations 2015

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At a glance

Enforced by

Environment Agency, DEFRA

What's here

25 compliance obligations, 5 practical guides · 5 journeys

Penalty landscape

16 of 25 obligations carry an unlimited fine. 9 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Occupier 18
  • Any Person 3

Plus 4 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Step-by-step journeys using this legislation

Walkthroughs that take you from a real business situation to compliance.

Relevant guidance

Practical guides for businesses affected by this Act, ordered by how closely they engage with it.

Direct — cites this Act

1 guides

Supporting — topic alignment

2 guides

Mentioned in related content

2 guides

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Occupiers also bound by 259 other Acts (top 5 shown)
Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.002

Interpretation

Part 2

s.005

Recommendations and proposals

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must notify owners of proposed Nitrate Vulnerable Zones Crown / Minister / Government department
Browse 4 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.transitional periods for new holdings

Transitional periods for new holdings

Part 3

Part 4

Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 5

Browse 6 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 6

s.024

Separation of slurry

Unlimited fine
  • Use mechanical separators or impermeable surfaces for slurry Occupier
s.025

Record of size of holding

Unlimited fine
  • Record the total size of your holding Occupier
s.025

Record of storage capacity

Unlimited fine
  • Calculate and record livestock manure storage capacity Occupier
s.025

Storage capacity

  • Provide sufficient slurry and poultry manure storage capacity Occupier

Part 7

s.029

Sampling and analysis

Unlimited fine
  • Keep laboratory reports for organic manure analysis Any Person
s.032

Subsequent records

  • Record arable crop yields and grassland management annually Occupier
s.033

FACTS advice

Unlimited fine
  • Keep copies of specialist FACTS advice Occupier
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 8

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 9 — Review

s.039

Review of the action programme

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must review and consult on nitrate zone restrictions Crown / Minister / Government department
s.040

Implementation report

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must publish a four-yearly report on nitrate regulations Crown / Minister / Government department
s.040

Regulatory review

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Secretary of State must review and report on Nitrate Regulations every 5 years Crown / Minister / Government department

Part 10

s.041

Offence and penalty

Unlimited fine
  • Fail to comply with Nitrate Pollution Regulations Any Person
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Part 11

Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement

Schedules

Browse 24 other Schedules — structural / supplementary
s.sch002

Slurry and other liquid and semi-liquid organic manure

s.sch002

Solid manures

s.sch003

Introductory

s.sch003

Sowing crops following grass

s.sch003

Crop rotation

s.sch003

Recording the size of the holding

s.sch003

Records relating to storage of manure during storage period

s.sch003

Record of nitrogen and phosphate produced by animals

s.sch003

Livestock manure intended to be brought on to or sent off the holding

s.sch003

Records of crops sown

s.sch003

Records of spreading phosphate fertiliser

s.sch003

Recording the date of ploughing

s.sch003

Fertilisation accounts

s.sch003

Limit on application of livestock manure

s.sch003

Planning the spreading of phosphate fertiliser

s.sch003

Other requirements for fertilisation plans

s.sch003

Soil sampling and analysis

s.sch003

Additional information to be recorded during the year

s.sch003

Risk maps

s.sch003

Maintaining holding as grassland

s.sch003

Closed period for ploughing grass

s.sch004

The following regulations do not apply in relation to a...

s.sch004

The following regulations do not apply in relation to a...

Read the full Act on legislation.gov.uk (opens in a new tab)

Official guidance

Authoritative sources published by regulators or government explaining this legislation.

Enforcement and responsible bodies

The regulators that administer or enforce this legislation.

Environment Agency

Primary

Environmental protection in England. Regulates waste, emissions, water quality, flood risk, and environmental permits for industrial activities. Enforces environmental law and issues …

DEFRA

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs

Government department responsible for environmental protection, food production and standards, agriculture, fisheries, and rural communities. Sets environmental policy and works with agencies …

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Regulators

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