Agricultural activities can have an impact on the environment and are subject to rules on supervision, handling of manure, chemicals and animal by-products. This page outlines key requirements, responsibilities and self-monitoring for agricultural operations in Finspång Municipality.

The Building and Environment Unit (Bygg- och miljöenheten) carries out regular environmental inspections of farms in the municipality, including both livestock farms and farms focused solely on crop production. During inspections, they review, among other things, the handling and storage of manure, pesticides and other chemicals, waste, and animal by-products such as carcasses.

Who receives inspection visits?

The Building and Environment Unit (Bygg- och miljöenheten) conducts a risk assessment, which forms the basis for planning which operations will be inspected during the year. Activities assessed as posing a higher risk to the environment or human health are inspected more frequently. Examples include farms with large numbers of animals, those that use significant amounts of plant protection products, or those located within water protection areas or near sensitive watercourses.

In addition to on-site inspections, inspectors also handle other matters related to agriculture. These may include applications for permits to use pesticides, notifications of temporary storage of manure, or various types of complaints. Animal welfare inspections are the responsibility of the County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen).

Livestock farming

Livestock farming is classified as an environmentally hazardous activity. It may be subject to notification or permit requirements depending on the number of animals or animal units. The thresholds for notification and permit requirements are regulated in the Environmental Assessment Ordinance (Miljöprövningsförordning) (2013:251). If you plan to keep more than 100 animal units, you must submit a notification to the municipality. The number of animals per animal unit varies depending on the type of animal; more information is available in Chapter 2, Section 3 of the Environmental Assessment Ordinance.

Cadaver management

Dead farm animals must be sent to an approved or registered facility or collection service, such as Svensk Lantbrukstjänst. While awaiting transport, carcasses or animal remains must be stored in a way that prevents the spread of infection, for example by ensuring that wild animals cannot access them. For disease control reasons, it is prohibited to bury dead farm animals in the ground or in manure storage areas, or to leave carcasses or remains in the forest for wild animals.

Manure management

Eutrophication is an environmental problem that occurs when there is an excess of nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen in soil and water. This can lead to overgrowth in lakes and watercourses, algal blooms and oxygen depletion in bottom waters, which in turn reduces biodiversity over time.

Manure must be stored in a way that prevents nutrient leakage into the surrounding environment. Good storage capacity allows you to spread manure during suitable seasons and make better use of its value as a resource.

It is important to follow the regulations for manure spreading. The rules differ depending on whether the area is classified as nitrate-sensitive or not. Parts of Finspång Municipality are designated as nitrate-sensitive areas, which means that manure spreading is prohibited during winter. From 1 November to 28 February, all manure spreading is prohibited in these areas.

Pesticides

Plant protection products are pesticides mainly used to protect plants and plant products in agriculture, forestry and horticulture. This may include protection against pests, fungal diseases or competing plants. Biocidal products include all pesticides that are not plant protection products, such as disinfectants, insect repellents, rodenticides and antifouling paints.

To use pesticides, the product must generally be approved by the Swedish Chemicals Agency (Kemikalieinspektionen). Approved products are assigned to a classification that determines how they may be used and by whom. Authorisation is required to use products in classes 1L and 2L, while no formal training is required for class 3 products.

If you plan to use pesticides professionally, there are several requirements to follow. You must keep records of applications, store chemicals properly and maintain a register of the products you use. When applying pesticides, safety distances must be observed to protect sensitive areas such as lakes, watercourses, open water surfaces, residential properties, preschools, schools, playgrounds and grazing land.

Spraying equipment used professionally for plant protection products must be tested and approved by the Swedish Board of Agriculture (Jordbruksverket). In some cases, a permit from the Building and Environment Committee (Bygg- och miljönämnden) may also be required.

Self-monitoring

Anyone operating an activity that may affect the environment or human health is required to plan and monitor the activity in order to prevent or reduce risks. Self-monitoring is a tool for managing how the activity impacts the environment. Effective self-monitoring makes it possible to detect faults in equipment or handling at an early stage and prevent serious damage.

The scope of preventive monitoring depends on the nature of the activity and the sensitivity of the surrounding environment. The supervisory authority assesses whether the operator meets the requirements in a way that is appropriate for the scale and impact of the activity.

Activities that are subject to notification or permit requirements must comply with the Ordinance (1998:901) on Self-Monitoring by Operators, which includes specific requirements for what the self-monitoring system must contain.