Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Nitrate-report: The reason the water is more dirty tagesschau.de

liquid manure is sprayed in Germany, still as a fertilizer on fields, and charged – as well as artificial fertilizer, according to the current nitrate-report of the Federal government, further to the groundwater. A law reform will change that now.

agriculture is the same as the policy, kalauerte once Renate Künast of the Green is in your time as Minister of agriculture: “the key thing that comes out the back, said to be one of the CDU. In the case of pigs this is a massive environmental burden on the soil, water and in case of doubt, also the drinking water case.”

ground water quality is only minimally better

This assessment is 16 years old and more relevant than ever. Because what comes with pigs, cows, chickens, and turkeys out the back, loaded to the water. Ground water, drinking water and waters of suffering, because in many places the manure is to be sprayed as fertilizer generously, and at any time on fields. The current nitrate report, the government published today, and available to the WDR in advance.

was Measured in targeted areas, where much agriculture is operated. As required by the EU nitrates Directive. Between 2008 and 2014 has improved, therefore the quality of the ground water in these problem areas only minimally. For Jochen Flasbarth, state Secretary at the Federal Ministry for the environment, bad news – because it was not planned: “We have a lot of high Fertilizer agricultural inputs into the aquatic environment. While we have achieved from the local waters, or from the industry, for example, great progress, we have from agriculture, still this high level of entries.”

Massive use of activated carbon

In 28 per cent of the measuring points was too much nitrate in the water, so more than the allowed 50 milligrams per Liter. Excessive nitrate levels are found mainly in lower Saxony and Schleswig-Holstein, but also in the North of Saxony-Anhalt and Saxony and in Parts of North Rhine-Westphalia. Especially there, where intense animals are kept, says Friedrich Ostendorff, organic farmer and member of the Greens in the Bundestag. The affected municipalities would have to use solid activated carbon, which raises the price of the drinking water production of water works: “Ultimately the taxpayers will have to pay as a water customer that here is a completely misguided agricultural development is run,” said Ostendorff.

That the Federal government doesn’t get the nitrate Problem under control, is also in Brussels. Last April has sued the EU Commission, Germany. Expensive fines are not threatening, and unless the government acts soon. State Secretary Flasbarth believes that this can be averted. Finally, a new, sharper Düngegesetz is almost ready: “for Example, can at certain times, such as when ice-cream is, or even if the ground is saturated with water, no fertilizers are applied. The lock times are increased considerably. At the same time, farmers need to ensure that you are providing increased capacity for the provision of fertilizers, so not out of a Need manure, for example, is brought to the field.”

Amendment to the Düngegesetzes

This goes in the right direction, there is also the Green Ostendorff. In his experience, tougher rules for dealing with manure so far, but still influential German farmers ‘ Association have failed, the good wires to the CSU-led agriculture Ministry: “I am eager to see how the. So far, the Ministry of the environment was not in the position to offer the Paroli if it were from the home of the builders Association of the most massive resistance.”

But still the Plan is: At 16. January is scheduled a hearing of the Committee on agriculture. 19. In January, then decided on by the Bundestag on the Amendment of the Düngegesetzes.

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