Concerns have been raised that an EU ban on creosote may impact on fencing grants available to farmers under new schemes.
The comments were made at the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Agriculture, Food and the Marine last evening (Wednesday, March 8) as it discussed the potential effect of the ban on fencing supply businesses, farmers and fencing contractors.
The European Chemicals Agency has deemed that the wood preservative, which is used to treat electricity poles, railway sleepers, agricultural and equestrian fencing and poles used in vineyards, has carcinogenic potential for humans.
In November, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) confirmed that the EU had moved to ban the sale and use of creosote-containing products to treat agricultural/equine fencing.
The final date for placing on the market and sale of fencing treated with creosote, except for railway sleepers and telecommunication poles, is April 30, 2023.
James Geoghegan, of J. Geoghegan Agri Ltd., who imports and distributes creosote fencing materials said that the incoming ban is resulting in co-ops and contractors running out of stock.
He said that demand for fencing will increase this year due to the new Agri Climate Rural Environment Scheme (ACRES) and the recent opening of the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS).
Chair of the committee, Deputy Jackie Cahill said he had been told by other stakeholders in the industry that the situation is under control and they have alternative product.
Creosote
Richard O’Connor, director of PDM, Ireland’s only registered supplier of pressure-treated creosoted products, said that creosote has been a derogated product for around 20 years.
“It’s always been the case in the sector that we would have known in time that creosote would have to be banned.
“The issue we have is that under the BPR regulations (Biocidal Products Regulation) across Europe, it’s a very considerable level of investment that company chemical companies need to go through to get a product approved as an alternative to creosote,” he said.
In Ireland, two chemical alternatives to creosote, Tanasote and Agri Protect, have been recently approved for use by the DAFM.
“With the approvals of the two new oils, there has not been sufficient time to go through the regulatory process for treaters, like ourselves,” O’Connor said.
He explained that this would involve significant engagement with the local authority and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to ensure that their treatment process adheres to the company’s industrial emissions licence.
“That does not happen in six months. That’s a much, much longer process,” he said.
PDM will also need to upgrade its facilities for new technologies which will require a “very significant capital investment” and could take a minimum of 18 months.
TAMS
O’Connor said that creosote fencing currently qualifies for the new Targeted Agricultural Modernisation Scheme (TAMS 3).
“If I ring the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) tomorrow, and I ask them if they will have an equivalent TAMS in place for copper oil fencing from the beginning of May of this year, it won’t exist because the work is not done,” he said.
“Because the work with the chemical companies that are supplying that product is only beginning as of last Monday.”
He added that this certification work will take at least a year to 18 months to complete.
Fianna Fáil senator Paul Daly sought clarity if the alternatives to creosote would be recognised or accepted under the new TAMS.
O’Connor said the department of agriculture would need to agree that for a period of time the alternatives would qualify for TAMS until the certification work by the NSAI is complete.
“I think that’s the kernel of this evening’s debate, and I think it’s the issue that we need to pursue as a priority. That’s the stumbling block going forward; there’s no point in putting out a TAMS scheme if there’s no product certified that can be used,” Senator Daly said.
He proposed that the committee write to Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Charlie McConalogue to seek clarification on the TAMS certification for fencing.
“That makes a case for [EU] derogation straight away if you want the schemes to continue efficiently,” chair of the committee, Deputy Jackie Cahill added.
“To get the EU to turn on this isn’t going to be simple but the fact is if we can’t operate our schemes with a certified product, I think that does change the landscape very very significantly.
“So we will write to Minister McConalogue on that and outline the issues that you have raised here with us this evening and will relay the response to you,” he said.