The European Commission has formally adopted new rules on REcovered Nitrogen from manure (RENURE), which will contribute to reducing farmers’ dependency on imported fertilisers.
RENURE (REcovered Nitrogen from manURE) refers to fertilising products derived from processed livestock manure, in which nutrients are recovered and transformed into forms that can substitute mineral fertilisers.
RENURE is based on innovative techniques and produced from processed animal manure so that it can be quickly absorbed by crops, with less risk of water pollution compared with raw manure.
The new rules will allow the use of RENURE fertilisers above the existing legal limit for the application of manure and processed manure set by the Nitrates Directive. This means that the Member States and farmers will be able to replace chemical fertilisers by RENURE fertilisers. This will be done in a safe way to ensure the continued protection of waters and the environment. It will also reduce costs for farmers and increase the strategic autonomy of the EU agricultural sector by lowering dependency on imported fertilisers.
“With the adoption of these new rules on RENURE, Europe is turning waste into value”, said environment Commissioner Jessika Roswall, “reducing fertiliser imports, supporting farmers’ competitiveness and strengthening our strategic autonomy, while safeguarding water and the environment.”
The new rules take the form of an amendment to the Nitrates Directive.
The amendment to the Nitrates Directive will enter into force 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal. It will apply only in Member states choosing to authorise RENURE. They will need to transpose the amendment into national law.
