'Significant change' needed to tackle agri pollution

Significant change is "urgently needed" to ensure regulations designed to reduce pollution from agriculture improve water quality as intended. The UK's environment watchdog, the Office for Environmental Protection, assessed the effectiveness and application of the 2019 Nutrients Action Programme (NAP). It found that, while "considerable progress" has been made, it needs to be "significantly strengthened and better implemented". Revised regulations are under discussion after farmers said the initial proposals were "out of touch". The OEP's Chief Scientist Robbie McDonald said it was important changes to tackle the "widening crisis" in our water bodies were not delayed. Nutrient pollution has been identified as a top priority for the environment in Northern Ireland by the OEP. It is already investigating the regulation of wastewater pollution in Belfast Lough. This latest review has examined the current NAP as the main regulatory framework for managing nutrient pollution from agricultural sources. It found "gaps in the regulations and areas of legal uncertainty that limit their effectiveness". And it concluded that the current NAP "will not be able to deliver" strategic environmental