Digestate spreading

How do you spread digestate? - help inform our response to Defra

We are keen to evaluate what volumes of digestate are spread and by which technique this is done, so that we can use this information to inform our discussions with Defra in response to the Clean Air Strategy consultation.

Defra has strong concerns regarding ammonia emissions from agriculture and are planning to introduce new requirements to minimise such emissions.

All information that you provide will be anonymised and treated in the strictest confidence.

Question Title

* 1. Please indicate, from the following list, which of the following techniques are used for the application of digestate produced at your sites.

Broadcast spreader (splash plate or nozzles) – the digestate is forced under pressure through a nozzle, often onto an inclined plate to increase the sideways spread.

Band spreader – the boom of the spreader has a number of hoses connected to it, distributing the digestate close to the ground in strips or bands. It is fed with digestate from a single pipe, thus relying on the pressure at each of the hose outlets to provide even distribution.

Trailing shoe spreader – this is a similar configuration to the band spreader with a shoe added to each hose allowing the digestate to be deposited under the crop canopy onto the soil.

Shallow Injector – digestate is injected under the soil surface by open slot shallow injection, up to 50 mm deep.

Shallow injector / aerator - digestate is injected under the soil surface in conjunction with aeration of the soil.

Deep Injector – digestate is injected under the soil surface by deep injection over 150 mm deep.

Other (please specify)

Question Title

* 2. Approximately what volume of digestate per year is spread using the above method? (in cubic metres) If you apply using more than one method, please list volumes for each.

Digestate spreading

How do you spread digestate? - help inform our response to Defra

Question Title

* 1. Please indicate, from the following list, which of the following techniques are used for the application of digestate produced at your sites.

Question Title

* 2. Approximately what volume of digestate per year is spread using the above method? (in cubic metres) If you apply using more than one method, please list volumes for each.

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* 3. Do you have covered storage for digestate?

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* 4. When in the calendar year are you mostly spreading digestate?