5 Land and Soil Module
5.2 Discharges Onto or Into Land
5.2.12 Good Practice Guide on Location of Dumps and Offal Holes on Production Land
The following good practice guide provides some initial guidance on the best locations for dumps and offal holes on production land. It should be read with the rules in Section 5.2.6.
- To prevent or minimise the risk of adverse effects associated with dumps and offal holes on production land such facilities shall not be located within:
- 100 metres of any water supply bore, water body or area identified by a district plan as being a significant habitat of indigenous flora and fauna1.
- A coastal sand dune system or within 100 metres of the coastal marine area.
- 10 metres of a cave entrance or stream sink.
- 20 metres of a significant geothermal feature.
- 50 metres of a property boundary.
- 300 metres from a marae, residential zone, hall or a public reserve.
- High risk erosion areas.
- Floodplains of rivers or streams.
- Any wetland area.
- In soils where water tables are very close to the surface, consideration should be given to composting of offal material or the use of commercial animal carcass collection services as an alternative waste disposal means.
- Under no circumstances should the base of the disposal area come into contact with the ground water table.
- When offal holes or dumps are closed, their location should be clearly identified so that future users or owners of the farm do not accidentally disturb the site.
- Offal holes should be covered with an impermeable concrete or metal manhole cover which is in kept place whenever the offal hole is not in use.