Solvent Regulations (Dry Cleaners etc.)

What are solvents?

Organic solvents are used in many activities and industrial processes, these volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are air pollutants which can have negative impacts on human health and on the environment.  Please click here to access the relevant legislation on Solvents.More informationavailable on the EPA website.

Sustainable alternatives to burning which farmers are permitted to use, including:

• Use of flailing and return the cut material to the ground in-situ
• Establish a nature pile/biodiversity habitat corner allowing the material to decompose over time
• Produce sustainable wood fuel for own heating use on-farm
• Composting of the material on-farm
• Off-farm energy generation from high quality, large volume, uncontaminated material
• Use of the material for animal bedding
• Produce landscaping material
• Biochar production

Material types

This final burning exemption applies to farmers who generate agricultural green waste through:

• Management of hedgerows
• Land clearance and maintenance activities
• Wind fall material arising
• Pest-infected and diseased material requiring management

This exemption does not apply to the controlled burning of growing vegetation as this is covered by Section 39 & 40 of the Wildlife Act 1976. In addition, if land is in a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) or a Special Protection Area (SPA), it is likely that an application will have to be made to the National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) for permission to conduct any burning of vegetation. For the management of invasive species, please refer to the NPWS.