UK Farmers urged to clamp down on silage pollution

In the wake of a string of hefty recent fines for silage pollution, we are urging UK farmers to urgently check their sileage clamps.

Farmers in Devon, Somerset and Northern Ireland have been ordered to pay fines ranging from £5,000 to £20,000 after silage clamp leaks polluted local watercourses.

With the sileage season upon us, it is vital that farmers check their silage clamps now – before the first cut – to prevent highly-toxic run-off from entering nearby waterways.

Silage effluent, which can be up to 200 times more toxic than untreated sewage, poses a significant threat to aquatic life, wildlife, and broader ecosystems.

The Rivers Trust annual ‘State of Our Rivers’ report revealed earlier this year that agricultural pollution contributes to 62% of waterways in England failing to meet good standards for chemical and biological pollution.

It’s essential that all parts of the silage storage system, from pipes to tanks, are well maintained. Silage clamps should be carefully inspected and any cracks repaired. All drainage systems should also be checked to make sure they are airtight and leak-free.

Here are the steps farmers should be taking:

• Check that the floor is sound, that cracks are properly repaired and that wall coatings and overlapping protective films are intact.
• Consider a deep clean to more easily identify leaks but be careful not to damage protective lining, asphalt or concrete surfaces.
• Regularly clean out collection channels and drains to ensure they are watertight.
• Before filling the clamp, flush the drains with water to ensure they are free from leaks or blockages.
• After filling it, regularly monitor effluent levels and check nearby watercourses for signs of pollution.

Farmers must be proactive in their approach to managing silage storage. The consequences of negligence are not only environmentally disastrous but also financially very damaging, as the substantial fines for pollution incidents are not covered by insurance.

We offer comprehensive insurance and risk management services tailored to the agricultural sector, supporting farmers in meeting health, safety and environmental standards.

Find out more here.