The dumping of dead animals into pits on rural properties is a widespread practice and can be an effective method of disposing of dead stock. However, dead animal matter is a source of nitrate pollution and disease causing micro-organisms in groundwater and surface water so care should be taken when disposing of dead stock to land.

The Resource Management Act requires discharges into the environment to be authorised. This can be done in a plan, or a resource consent.  Environmental Canterbury has prepared a rule in the Proposed Natural Resources Regional Plan permitting the discharge of dead animal matter into production land subject to certain conditions on their use, location and construction.

 

The rule states that the animal matter placed in the pit must be from the same property where the pit is located. The offal pit must not be located within 50 metres of the edge of a river, lake, artificial water course or the Coastal marine area.

The rule also controls the siting of an offal pit in areas that flood or pond or are over an unconfined or semi-confined aquifer, and there must not be more than two pits per hectare. When the pit is within half a metre of the land surface the contents must be covered with soil and the surface restored to a state similar to the surrounding land.

For further assistance please contact Customer Service on 03 353 9007 or toll free on 0800 324 636. You can also visit our website www.ecan.govt.nz