Act No. 1572 on livestock farming and the use of fertiliser.

This Act sets the general framework for the regulation of livestock farming, livestock facilities, manure and silage storage facilities, and the use of manure on agricultural land. Its purpose is to protect nature, the environment and landscapes while allowing livestock production and manure use to develop on a sustainable basis. It aims in particular to prevent and limit pollution of air, water, soil and the subsoil, reduce odour, light, dust, noise, vibration, flies and unhygienic conditions from livestock holdings and manure management, promote best available techniques and cleaner technology, encourage recycling and sound waste management, protect wild flora and fauna and their habitats, preserve valuable landscapes and coastal areas, and ensure public participation in relevant cases. It also authorises rules on nitrogen and phosphorus limits for fertiliser application, permits for higher organic fertiliser application in certain cases, nuisance controls for spreading organic fertiliser or bioash, and erosion-prevention measures where phosphorus-rich soils risk polluting watercourses, lakes or coastal waters.
The Act lays down location and distance requirements for livestock facilities and manure or silage storage facilities, including restrictions near residential areas, water-supply installations, watercourses, lakes, roads, food businesses and neighbouring boundaries, and special protection for ammonia-sensitive nature types. It requires municipal approval or permits for establishing, expanding or changing livestock holdings, including stricter approval thresholds for high-ammonia holdings and large pig or poultry units, and allows conditions on construction, operation, self-monitoring, emissions reduction, best available techniques and greenhouse-gas reduction from commercial animal keeping. It gives supervisory authorities powers to issue orders and prohibitions, require pollution reduction, stop operations in serious cases, demand information, samples, analyses and investigations, enter properties without a court order where necessary, carry out substitute action at the operator’s expense, and deal with environmental damage and imminent threats of environmental damage. It also regulates public notice, digital communication, coordination between authorities, fees, appeals to the Environment and Food Board of Appeal, court proceedings, penalties including possible imprisonment for serious intentional or grossly negligent breaches, disqualification from operating livestock farms, and transitional provisions.