FAQS

What is Liquid Manure?

Definition

"Liquid Manure is pricipally composed of animal faeces and urine, and may include some animal bedding material and some dilution water. The average dry matter content is less than 20 percent by weight".

Manure contains pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and parasites (e.g. E.Coli, Cryptosporidium and Pfiesteria piscicida), which are a potential source of infection for animals and humans. Home drinking water wells near animal waste application sites may become contaminated by pathogens or other pollutants.

With thousands of animals confined within barns the urine and faeces would accumulate and be harmful to the animals. Cleaning the waste from these barns is done with water - it is faster and more cost effective for the owners than clearing manually. The water and solids are then pumped into a tank or lagoon where it is stored prior to disposal.

Lagoons are a common feature of the growing number of factory-sized animal operations. Hundreds of gases from these lagoons can pollute the air around the operation. Researchers indicate that feed lot odour may contain 170 separate chemical substances. The lagoon emissions contain toxic constituents and greenhouse gases, including hydrogen sulphide, ammonia and methane. Large scale feed lots also emit particulate matter from confinement buildings. A notice of violation under the Clean Air Act-was issued again 7 premium Standard Farm factory farms in Missouri stating that the facilities "emit in addition to odours, regulated pollutants such as particulate matter and hydrogen sulphide". Pathogens, including bacteria, viruses and parasites from ruptured, overflowing, and leaching lagoons are a major concern when they flow into streams, river and bays and poison drinking water supplies.

Another threat associated with lagoons comes from spray fields. Once manure is stored in open-air lagoons, it is periodically pumped out to be sprayed on fields surrounding the factory farm, ostensibly to be used as fertilizer. The spray emits the same gases as lagoons. Spraying the wastes increases evaporation and volatilization of pollutants into the air.

Studies consistently show that lagoons emit toxic airborne chemicals that can result in human health problems through inflammatory, immunologic, irritant, neurochemical and psycolphysiologic mechanisms. The emissions are the result of the decomposition of liquid manure by anaerobic bacteria during storage and treatment. this process releases 400 Volatile organic compounds including hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, dusts, endotoxins and methane. Ammonia may absorb dust particles that may be carried into the lungs.

See "Cesspools of Shame" National Resources Defense Council