farm waste management
No. 1 for Agricultural Waste

Agricultural Waste Management

Farms, foresters, horticulturists, and other types of agricultural businesses all produce a variety of waste types. These range from standard plastic packaging for recycling to more complex animal manure and hazardous waste such as pesticides. Proper farm waste disposal is essential to protect the environment, human health, and your business.

There are strict controls and regulations in place for the storage, removal, and disposal of agricultural waste. Learn more about agricultural waste management and discover how Business Waste can help ensure safe, legal, and environmentally friendly farm waste disposal.

Contact us online or call 0800 211 8390 today for a free quote for agricultural waste collection and disposal from anywhere in the UK.

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Farm waste 
management

We provide farms across the UK with agricultural waste management. At Business Waste, we’re committed to helping companies across the country cut waste collection costs while improving efficiency and helping the environment. Our specialist agricultural waste management solutions are uniquely tailored to suit your business. We’ll ensure all your farm waste needs are met, every single time.

Our team of qualified waste providers and licensed waste carriers are experienced handling all waste types the farm industry produces. We’ll ensure your organisation is fully compliant with the relevant health and safety regulations for farm waste management, organise all your collections, and provide all the necessary bins and containers you require to safely store your waste before collection.

Get free bins delivered to your farm, horticultural, or any other kind of agricultural business. All you have to do is pay for collection after filling each bin or container with the relevant waste type. You can arrange collection of agricultural waste on a daily, weekly, or fortnightly basis depending on the type and amount of waste you produce.

Call 0800 211 8390 or contact us online for a free quote for collection and disposal of your agricultural waste. Our nationwide network means we can deliver and collect from businesses anywhere in the UK. Speak to one of our friendly and expert team and they’ll answer any questions you have about your agricultural waste needs.

Contact us today for a quote

Agricultural waste disposal

Disposal of agricultural waste is like regular waste disposal methods in many cases. For example, solid materials are often sent to landfill or incinerators. However, this can have a negative effect on the environment. It’s something many who work within agriculture are particularly passionate about avoiding – especially as the future of farming relies on taking care of the planet.

While hazardous agricultural waste must be incinerated to prevent harming humans and the environment, fortunately there are other methods of agricultural waste disposal. These include composting and recycling, which can help protect the environment. For example, organic fertilisers can be reused, and animal waste (faeces and manure) can be used in composting – both allow agricultural land to thrive.

Recycling agricultural waste is also one of the most common agricultural waste disposal methods, especially for plastic and packaging rubbish. This could be for any bags, containers, animal feed packaging, and more that follow the usual plastic recycling process. Wood waste can also be recycled in many ways – used to create biomass wood fuel, animal bedding, or reused to create new wood.

NOTE – If your agricultural hazardous waste is not disposed of appropriately, the effects can be devastating. This can impact the public, environment, and your business as there are strict laws in place. If they’re not adhered to it can result in fines and even jail sentences.

Agricultural waste 
bins

The right bins for your business will depend on the types of agricultural waste your produce, the amount, and how often you need it collecting. As most farms generate a variety of waste types – from hazardous agricultural waste to plastic packaging – it’s likely you’ll need more than one kind of different bins.

Whatever the size of your farm and type of waste you generate, find a solution with the wide range of bins we can provide. Explore some of the most common bins used for agricultural and farm waste management.

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  • Waste drums

    Safely store oil, liquid, and some hazardous waste types in small and large drums.

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  • IBC container

    Large IBC containers are ideal to store hazardous, liquid, and oil waste from farms.

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  • 1100L wheelie bin

    The biggest wheelie bins available can hold general waste, plastic recycling, and more.

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How does farm 
waste collection work?

  1. Select your free bins

    It’s quick and easy to organise commercial waste collection for your business.

    Simply start by telling us the:

    • Type of waste you need removing
    • Size of bins you require
    • Number of bins you want

    We’ll provide you with a free quote.

  2. Arrange delivery

    When you’re happy with the type, number, and size of free bins, tell us when you need your bins delivering.

    Let us know about any access issues where you want the bins delivering – such as locked gates, access codes and times. We’ll get you up and running in no time.

  3. Fill up your bin

    After the free bins arrive at your chosen location, fill them up with the agreed waste type.

    Make sure you remain within any weight limits for the specific waste type and bin size.

  4. Get your business waste collected

    We’ll arrange waste collection at a time and frequency to suit you and the amount of waste you have.

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What is 
agricultural waste?

Agricultural waste is any type of rubbish produced through agricultural activities such as farming. Natural agricultural waste products can include the likes of manure from animals, while farm plastic waste is also common and includes packaging and containers for storing chemicals used across the business.

The industry produces many types of agricultural waste, which all have their own methods of recycling or disposal. Agricultural waste examples include:

  • Waste oil
  • Green waste
  • Waste silage
  • Pesticide
  • Empty pesticide/chemical containers
  • Waste sheep dip
  • Waste medical containers/equipment
  • Brake fluids
  • Anything used on animals – including syringes
  • Fertiliser bags
  • Unused animal medicines
wheelbarrow under tree next to pile of muck.

Farm waste regulations

two sheep sat in a field.

There are very strict controls on the regulation of waste that farmers and the agricultural industry produce. The Waste Management (England and Wales) Regulations 2006 were amended to cover agricultural waste management in 2006, meaning it classes as controlled waste the same as industrial and commercial waste. This means you have a duty of care over the production, storage, transportation, and disposal of farm waste.

Due to the large amount of hazardous waste farms produce, farmers and anyone involved in the industry must be aware of the correct ways to manage such agricultural hazardous waste. When dealing with hazardous waste, farmers must follow the health and safety regulations, including the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations (COSHH).

The best way to ensure your business follows the relevant regulations is to outsource your agricultural waste collection and disposal to an approved waste provider. We can provide your farm with agricultural waste management solutions to protect your business, your workers, the public and the environment from hazardous agricultural waste.

Agricultural waste 
statistics

In the UK there are around 135,500 tonnes of agricultural plastic waste produced every year. This is a mixture of packaging and non-packaging waste which, while it may sound a lot, accounts for less than 2% of plastic packaging waste generated in the UK annually.

Natural waste is the main type of agricultural waste generated by most farms, with 43 million tonnes of manure and slurry waste produced each year. Reusing this as a fertiliser is great for the environment but it means it doesn’t count as waste, so the real figure could be higher.

Sadly, food waste is another big area within agricultural waste management. Research by WWF found that 1.2 billion tonnes of food is wasted around the world before it even leaves the farm.

43 million tonnes of manure and slurry waste are produced each year in the agriculture industry

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Agricultural waste
FAQs

  • AGRICULTURAL WASTE Why is agricultural waste a problem?

    Agricultural waste poses a huge problem if not properly disposed of – as it can have a distinctly negative impact on the environment. Alongside the dangers of landfill and incineration, the chemicals used in farming and agriculture can cause pollution if they end up in the wrong places.

    For example, pesticides that allow fields to flourish can cause mass levels of pollution in rivers and streams. Polluted water damages the eco-system and can lead to the death of animals and also contaminate drinking water. Farming activity can also release greenhouse gases that add to air pollution.

    Every agricultural business has a responsibility to ensure we both minimise waste and find a way to ensure proper disposal of any waste produced. With a growing focus on protecting the environment, the importance of agricultural waste management has never been more prevalent.

  • AGRICULTURAL WASTE How do agricultural wastes harm the environment?

    The impact of agricultural waste on the environment can be extremely negative when not controlled or disposed of properly, as they add to the pollution of the planet. In addition to the potential dangers of chemicals, pesticides, and fertilisers, other hazardous agricultural waste can lead to environmental harm.

    Agricultural waste such as plastic and packaging can also harm the environment if not disposed of correctly. If it ends up in landfill it may take hundreds of years to decompose and leach chemicals into surrounding soil and water, which is why plastic recycling is so important.

  • AGRICULTURAL WASTE How do farmers get rid of waste?

    There are many ways farmers can dispose of agricultural waste. Organising regular waste collection by licensed waste carriers (of both traditional and recyclable materials) is the main method. Here farmers use relevant bins to collect and store each type of waste and then arrange a time and place for waste carriers to pick up and transport it to a recycling, incineration, or landfill site.

    However, many farmers choose to dispose of their farm waste themselves. With manure this can be reused as a natural fertiliser. Otherwise, this involves controlled fires – which are less than ideal for the environment. Sometimes farm waste management requires adapting policies to ensure products can be reused or composted.

  • AGRICULTURAL WASTE How can farmers reduce food waste?

    There are a few different actions farmers can try to reduce food waste during its production, storage, and transportation – as well as its use for feeding animals and employees:

    • Try not to buy more food products than you need – such as to feed animals.
    • Identify the products you don’t use, or that are often left over when you’re no longer able to use them. Minimise the amount of these you buy or produce.
    • Take proper care of your plants/produce to avoid planting crops that will never be harvested/will be harvested poorly.
    • Consider investing in new technologies that can help manage crop growth.
    • Recycle any waste food where possible.
    • Introduce composting to your routine.
    • Consider selling surplus products in bulk at a decreased price, instead of throwing it away.
    • Donate surplus products to charities such as food banks or homeless shelters, who will ensure the products don’t go to waste.
  • AGRICULTURAL WASTE What pollutants can be found in agricultural waste?

    Different types of agricultural waste can contain various pollutants. These can be released naturally when disposed of improperly – such as ending up in landfill – or through burning and releasing into the atmosphere. Some of the most common pollutants from farming include:

    • Pathogens
    • Pesticides
    • Sediments
    • Metals
    • Salts
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Get a fast and free quote for agricultual waste management

Get a fast FREE quote for farm waste collection and disposal

  • Free quote within 1 hr
  • Any type of agricultural waste
  • FREE bins and delivery
  • We cover all of the UK