IrBEA calls on government and MEPs to get RENURE over the line
The Irish Bioenergy Association (IrBEA) has called on the Irish government and MEPs to ensure an amendment to the Nitrates Directive on RENURE fertiliser gets over the line.
RENURE stands for recovered nitrogen from manure. RENURE fertiliser is processed manure that could potentially offset the need for chemical fertiliser.
Earlier today, the European Commission announced that its advisory Nitrates Committee had endorsed a proposal to allow RENURE fertiliser to be used above the normal limits on fertiliser use set out in the Nitrates Directive.
IrBEA welcomed the development, saying that the proposal opens the possibility for Irish farmers to replace chemical fertiliser with RENURE products on their farms.
Seán Finan, CEO of IrbEA, said: "This approval is very welcome. It is an important milestone on the road to the displacement of chemical fertiliser on Irish farms with processed organic manure/digestate from biomethane production.
"The agreement, when transposed into law, will increase the allowable limits for organic fertiliser products derived from digestate from biomethane production to displace chemical fertiliser," Finan added.
The commission's proposal to amend the Nitrates Directive to allow increased use of RENURE fertiliser will now be sent to the European Parliament and the Council of the EU.
If neither of those bodies objects to it, the commission will be adle to officially adopt the amendment.
Finan called on the government and Irish MEPs to "work to ensure that this agreement successfully proceeds", and that Ireland chooses to authorise RENURE fertiliser and transpose the new amendment into national law.
The current proposals only applies to three types of RENURE fertiliser, namely ammonium salts, mineral concentrate, and struvite (a phosphate mineral that can form in animal urine).
IrBEA is calling for this list of products to be regarded as a starting point and to be expanded in the future.
Finan said: "IrBEA calls for all stakeholders to work towards a further future expansion of the types of products allowable under RENURE. This expansion should extend to allow for digestate itself as a RENURE product in the future.
"Today's agreement is an important step forward. This agreement clearly establishes the legal mechanism which allows for the displacement of chemical fertiliser with organic manure [or] digestate which is particularly important for Ireland.
"RENURE will assist the development of the biomethane industry [and] the mobilisation of digestate , nd brings the prospect of an Irish biofertiliser industry and bioeconomy forward," Finan added.
