One of the primary causes of nitrate pollution is the use of nitrogen fertilizers and application of manure to agricultural fields, which stimulates crop production but also contributes to nutrient pollution due to nitrate leaches from soil during heavy precipitation events.[1]
High levels of nitrate in drinking water used to prepare infant formula can negatively affect infant health.[2] With continued use of contaminated water, infants can develop Blue Baby Syndrome, which can be fatal.
Regulationsedit
Nitrate vulnerable zones are designated when the concentration of nitrate in a given area reaches or surpasses 50 NO3− mg/L. Regulations include:
Reducing the amount of fertilizer applied;
Prohibiting application of fertilizer during the winter when runoff is greatest and uptake by plants at a minimum;
Changing the times when animal waste is applied to the land and holding the waste in tanks until application.
The restrictions are within Good Agricultural Practice guidelines, meaning that farmers are expected to adhere to the given regulations without receiving any subsidies.[3] Farmers who do not adhere to these restrictions can be fined by the government.
Locationsedit
Farm in Europe.
Nitrate vulnerable zones were introduced by the United Kingdom government in response to the European Union mandate that all countries in the EU must reduce the nitrate in drinking water to a maximum of 50 NO3− mg/L to protect public health and environmental health.[1]
United Kingdomedit
The United Kingdom identifies nitrate vulnerable zones as discrete zones in specific agricultural regions. There are at least 70 nitrate vulnerable zones in England and several in Wales, covering 600,000 hectares of surface water and ground water.[1]
Walesedit
The Welsh Government introduced an all Wales NVZ in 2021, previously, 2.4% of Wales' land was designated as a NVZ. Environmental and fishing groups welcomed the new rules. It will be rolled out, pending a review by the Senedd, over the next three years. The review came after major political backlash from opposition parties and farmers.[4]
Northern Europeedit
Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, and Denmark have established their entire nations as nitrate vulnerable zones. These countries take a broader approach to designating nation-wide nitrate vulnerable zones because of the quality of the groundwater[5] as well as marine eutrophication.[1]
Referencesedit
^ abcdOsborn S, Cook HF (1997). "Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and Nitrate Sensitive Areas: A Policy and Technical Analysis of Groundwater Source Protection in England and Wales". Journal of Environmental Planning and Management. 40 (2): 217–234. doi:10.1080/09640569712191. ISSN 0964-0568.
^Knobeloch L, Salna B, Hogan A, Postle J, Anderson H (2000). "Blue babies and nitrate-contaminated well water". Environmental Health Perspectives. 108 (7): 675–8. doi:10.1289/ehp.00108675. PMC1638204. PMID 10903623.
^"Encouraging low-input farming in the EU". European Commission - European Commission. Retrieved 2021-04-15.
^"River pollution Wales: Farmers face 'six-figure sum' to comply". BBC News. 2021-06-09. Retrieved 2021-06-10.
^Arauzo, M (2017). "Vulnerability of groundwater resources to nitrate pollution: A simple and effective procedure for delimiting Nitrate Vulnerable Zones". The Science of the Total Environment. 575: 799–812. Bibcode:2017ScTEn.575..799A. doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2016.09.139. hdl:10261/205492. PMID 27707576.
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nitrate, vulnerable, zone, also, agriculture, united, kingdom, manure, nitrogen, nitrate, vulnerable, zones, nitrate, vulnerable, zone, conservation, designation, environment, agency, areas, land, that, drain, into, nitrate, polluted, waters, waterways, that, . See also Agriculture in the United Kingdom Manure nitrogen and Nitrate Vulnerable Zones NVZ A nitrate vulnerable zone is a conservation designation of the Environment Agency for areas of land that drain into nitrate polluted waters or waterways that could become polluted by nitrates due to environmental and health threats A nitrate vulnerable zone can be designated as a response to an increase in nitrate leaching or increased use of nitrate fertilizers Printed Regulation of a Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Contents 1 Nitrate pollution 1 1 Sources of nitrate pollution 1 2 Environmental impacts 1 3 Health effects 2 Regulations 3 Locations 3 1 United Kingdom 3 1 1 Wales 3 2 Northern Europe 4 ReferencesNitrate pollution editSources of nitrate pollution edit One of the primary causes of nitrate pollution is the use of nitrogen fertilizers and application of manure to agricultural fields which stimulates crop production but also contributes to nutrient pollution due to nitrate leaches from soil during heavy precipitation events 1 Environmental impacts edit Nitrate runoff can lead to eutrophication of waterways leading to excessive algal growth and oxygen depletion Health effects edit High levels of nitrate in drinking water used to prepare infant formula can negatively affect infant health 2 With continued use of contaminated water infants can develop Blue Baby Syndrome which can be fatal Regulations editNitrate vulnerable zones are designated when the concentration of nitrate in a given area reaches or surpasses 50 NO3 mg L Regulations include Reducing the amount of fertilizer applied Prohibiting application of fertilizer during the winter when runoff is greatest and uptake by plants at a minimum Changing the times when animal waste is applied to the land and holding the waste in tanks until application The restrictions are within Good Agricultural Practice guidelines meaning that farmers are expected to adhere to the given regulations without receiving any subsidies 3 Farmers who do not adhere to these restrictions can be fined by the government Locations edit nbsp Farm in Europe Nitrate vulnerable zones were introduced by the United Kingdom government in response to the European Union mandate that all countries in the EU must reduce the nitrate in drinking water to a maximum of 50 NO3 mg L to protect public health and environmental health 1 United Kingdom edit The United Kingdom identifies nitrate vulnerable zones as discrete zones in specific agricultural regions There are at least 70 nitrate vulnerable zones in England and several in Wales covering 600 000 hectares of surface water and ground water 1 Wales edit The Welsh Government introduced an all Wales NVZ in 2021 previously 2 4 of Wales land was designated as a NVZ Environmental and fishing groups welcomed the new rules It will be rolled out pending a review by the Senedd over the next three years The review came after major political backlash from opposition parties and farmers 4 Northern Europe edit Belgium Germany the Netherlands and Denmark have established their entire nations as nitrate vulnerable zones These countries take a broader approach to designating nation wide nitrate vulnerable zones because of the quality of the groundwater 5 as well as marine eutrophication 1 References edit a b c d Osborn S Cook HF 1997 Nitrate Vulnerable Zones and Nitrate Sensitive Areas A Policy and Technical Analysis of Groundwater Source Protection in England and Wales Journal of Environmental Planning and Management 40 2 217 234 doi 10 1080 09640569712191 ISSN 0964 0568 Knobeloch L Salna B Hogan A Postle J Anderson H 2000 Blue babies and nitrate contaminated well water Environmental Health Perspectives 108 7 675 8 doi 10 1289 ehp 00108675 PMC 1638204 PMID 10903623 Encouraging low input farming in the EU European Commission European Commission Retrieved 2021 04 15 River pollution Wales Farmers face six figure sum to comply BBC News 2021 06 09 Retrieved 2021 06 10 Arauzo M 2017 Vulnerability of groundwater resources to nitrate pollution A simple and effective procedure for delimiting Nitrate Vulnerable Zones The Science of the Total Environment 575 799 812 Bibcode 2017ScTEn 575 799A doi 10 1016 j scitotenv 2016 09 139 hdl 10261 205492 PMID 27707576 nbsp This environment related article is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nitrate vulnerable zone amp oldid 1177316379, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
