Technical
Many greenkeepers are becoming increasingly concerned about compliance with legislation applicable to them, and do not wish to run foul of the law. Some are aware of their duties and responsibilities, and so have taken appropriate action. It is clearly evident however, that some confusion still exists.
Here, Highspeed Group’s MD, David Mears, takes a look at current legal requirements and ways to comply
Washpads
Awash with Legislation
L
ooking at message boards, social media sites and listening to greenkeepers, there seems to be a recurring theme: “Can somebody tell us - in plain English - what the law is regarding washpads”.
Comments include that going on the web to find out often confuses even more. You see page upon page of regulations and it is so difficult to unravel. One greenkeeper told me only recently; “I typed in EU Water Framework Directive and wished I hadn’t!” So, what must be done to ensure
compliance? Firstly, bear in mind that it has always been an offence to cause pollution and, in England Wales, the EA (Environment Agency) is responsible for policing the plethora of legislation relating to pollution. In Scotland, it is the responsibility of SEPA (Scottish Environmental Protection Agency).
124 I PC FEBRUARY/MARCH 2016 “So, for my washpad, exactly what legislation
am I to comply with?” may be your question. The EU Water Framework Directive (WFD as most know it) is the one piece of legislation that most seem to be more aware of recently. Introduced during 2009, it had not been noticed by many until last year (2015) and, now that full implementation is imminent, it has come sharply into focus. The WFD applies throughout Europe and
each member state is responsible for compliance, with many already having introduced this into legislation. For example, in England and Wales, The Groundwater (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 were enshrined in law in 2009. In Scotland, it was The Water Environment (Groundwater and Priority Substances) (Scotland) Regulations 2009 that also became law in that same year.
So, in a nutshell, it’s not a question of when
do I need to comply, as it has been law since 2009! The main focus of this legislation is that it is illegal to wash hazardous substances into the groundwater. There is an extensive list of such substances to peruse in the various legal documents, but those affecting greenkeepers and others washing down turf maintenance and similar machinery are:
- WFD, under Item 7: Persistent mineral oils and hydrocarbons of petroleum origin
- The Groundwater (England and Wales) Regulations 2009, under Item 3(e):
persistent hydrocarbons and persistent and bioaccumulable organic toxic substances
- The Water Environment (Groundwater and Priority Substances) (Scotland) Regulations 2009, under Schedule 2: substances or
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