The Nitrogen Reduction Plan (PAS)

A quick sketch of the problem

What are Maintenance Goals (IHD) en Speciale Protection Zones (SBZ)?

De vertaling van het Europese natuurbeleid heeft eind april 2014 geleid tot de goedkeuring het nieuwe Vlaamse natuurdecreet. Met dit decreet kunnen de besluiten rond de Specifieke Instandhoudingsdoelstellingen (S-IHD) worden uitgevoerd. In deze besluiten wordt voor de Speciale Beschermingszones (SBZ) aangegeven welke natuurbeschermingsmaatregelen er nodig zijn.

The translation of European nature policy led to the adoption of the new Flemish Nature Decree at the end of April 2014. With this decree the decisions around the Specific Conservation Objectives (S-IHD) can be implemented. These decrees indicate for the Special Protection Zones (SBZ) which nature conservation measures are needed.

More info can be found at www.natura2000.vlaanderen.be.

The problem of acidifying and eutrophicating substances

A major bottleneck for the quality of a lot of protected nature is formed by the deposition of acidifying and eutrophying substances via the air. These substances come mainly from agriculture (ammonia), traffic and industry. In Flanders, this problem is addressed by the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (PAS). More information on PAS can be found at www.natura2000.vlaanderen.be.

The impact on the licensing of livestock farms

Bedrijven die in of nabij een habitatrichtlijngebied gelegen zijn én die een vergunning aanvragen met mogelijk significante impact, dienen een passende beoordeling voor te leggen. Indien deze passende beoordeling wijst op een significant negatief effect, dan zou de vergunning in principe geweigerd moeten worden. Een significant effect kan in sommige gevallen evenwel vermeden worden door te voorzien in maatregelen die de ammoniakemissie voldoende reduceren.

Companies located in or near a habitat directive area and applying for a permit with a potentially significant impact must submit an appropriate assessment. If this assessment indicates a significant negative effect, the permit should in principle be refused. In some cases, however, a significant impact can be avoided by taking measures that sufficiently reduce ammonia emissions.

Measures that can reduce ammonia emissions from livestock farms

At the request of the Flemish Steering Committee on the Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (PAS) and the PAS Working Group on Emission Reduction in Agriculture, ILVO has carried out a literature study that provides an overview of the measures that can lead to a reduction in ammonia emissions from agriculture. This is with a view to drawing up a Preliminary Programmatic Approach to Nitrogen (VPAS) and a PAS list.

> Literatuurstudie

Based in part on this study, the first PAS list was created after a scientific and administrative review process, which included evaluation of company proposals submitted to VLM.

ILVO zal in samenwerking met diverse partners, nieuwe onderzoekslijnen opzetten zodat er de komende jaren bijkomende technieken beschikbaar kunnen komen. Naast staltechnieken wordt hierbij ook gekeken naar maatregelen op vlak van diervoeding en –management.

ILVO will, in cooperation with various partners, set up new research lines so that additional techniques can become available in the coming years. In addition to barn techniques, measures in the area of animal feed and animal management are also being examined.

2018: Remarkable ILVO results from 2018: Up to 50% reduction in ammonia emissions possible in beef cattle via a slight reduction in protein in the ration.

> Back to: ILVO reference tasks for the environmental policy area


Interesting links (in Dutch)

General info about PAS:

Information about low-emissions animal housing: