Transporting animal manure
Do you transport animal manure? You must report before, during, and after the manure transport using the real-time animal manure consignment note. You also have to keep records and register your business.
Farmers and manure transport
Do you want to transport manure as a farmer? Then you must usually hire a manure intermediary. The intermediary arranges most of the notifications of the rVDM (realtime Vervoersbewijs Dierlijke Meststoffen). You only have to confirm the transport afterwards. You do this in the rVDM system. For this, you need an account in e-CertNL. Sometimes you may also transport the manure yourself, for example if you transport manure to another farmer nearby. Or to a private person. This transport has special rules and is called customised transport (in Dutch).
Manure intermediaries (hauliers) and manure transport
As a haulier of manure you are responsible for the whole process of transporting manure (in Dutch): the transport, loading, weighing, sampling, and unloading. You have to comply with these requirements:
Register your business
You must register your intermediary business (in Dutch) with the Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO). This requires you to pass a Bibob check (integrity screening).
Keep records
You must keep proper accounts (in Dutch) to demonstrate that you transport the manure according to the rules. You must keep records of the origin and destination of the manure. You must keep the documents for at least 5 years.
Approved AGR/GPS devices
Manure transport vehicles must be equipped with approved (in Dutch) satellite tracking devices (GPS) and Automatic Data Registration Equipment (AGR). AGR/GPS devices must be inextricably affixed (in Dutch) to the transport vehicle's chassis (in Dutch). For customised transport, AGR/GPS devices are not mandatory (in Dutch).
Consignment note (rVDM)
You need to fill out a real-time animal manure consignment note (realtime Vervoersbewijs Dierlijke Meststoffen, rVDM, in Dutch) in e-CertNL before, during, and after you transport manure. For standard transport, you make the following notifications:
- During transport, you must submit a load report, a weighing report, and an unloading report (in Dutch)
Weighing
You must weigh the manure with, for instance, an onboard weighing device or a weighbridge. The weighing installation must follow the requirements stated in the Measuring instruments and market operators Decree (Besluit meetinstrumenten en marktdeelnemers) for non-automatic weighing instruments. Directly after weighing, you have to report the weight via the rVDM. You should have the weight dockets with you during transport. You must keep the weighing reports for 5 years.
If you export manure, you weigh the consignment before it crosses the border. If you import manure you can weigh it abroad. If you do not weigh it abroad, you must weigh the consignment as soon as you enter the Netherlands. When importing or exporting manure (in Dutch) you must make sure to also comply with the rules of the country you import from or export to.
Sampling and analysing manure
If you transport manure, you must sample the consignment. There are several rules for sampling manure (in Dutch), depending on type: slurry (drijfmest), solid manure (vaste mest), and solid fraction (dikke fractie). If you transport slurry, the transport vehicle must be fitted with sampling and packaging equipment. Solid fraction must always be sampled by an accredited institution (in Dutch). The samples must be analysed by a recognised and accredited laboratory (in Dutch).
Transport with exemption
Weighing, sampling, and analysing is almost always mandatory. Sometimes this is not compulsory and you may transport the manure with an exemption (in Dutch). But you must always complete an rVDM. For more information, please contact the Netherlands Enterprise Agency.
Transport by pipeline or conveyer
Do you want to transport manure via a pipeline (in Dutch) or conveyer (in Dutch) to an intermediary company? The pipeline or conveyer must be part of your company. The pipeline or conveyer must also be registered with RVO (in Dutch).