The Gwent branch of the Farmers’ Union of Wales is warning farmers to ensure that wood chip bedding for livestock has not been sourced from treated wood, and that they have a U8 waste exemption registered with Natural Resources Wales (NRW).
The warning follows after farmers in the Gwent area have been offered wood chip bedding, which in fact has been sourced from treated wood and can contain harmful and potentially hazardous substances.
Good quality wood chip should be produced from untreated wood, so it is clean and safe for livestock and for spreading. When woodchip has been used and is mixed in with farm slurry or manures, it can be composted and spread to agricultural land.
FUW Gwent County Executive Officer Glyn Davies said: “Woodchip has recently been offered to farmers as animal bedding at several livestock markets in South East Wales.
“Farmers who use this type of animal bedding need to check where their product has come from by asking the supplier if the wood chip has been produced from previously treated waste wood.
“NRW have stated that if this product is found to be illegal, then farmers who have had deliveries will need to dispose of it to landfill at their own expense. So please check the source of any wood chip used as animal bedding.”