snips from a long article discussing problems and solutions
Washington, DC - 04/29/2008 - The current industrial farm animal production (IFAP) system often poses unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and the welfare of the animals themselves, according to an extensive 2?-year examination conducted by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP), in a study released today.
Adverse community health effects from exposure to IFAP air emissions fall into two categories: (1) respiratory symptoms, disease and impaired function, and (2) neurobehavioral symptoms and impaired function.
According to the EPA, the annual production of manure produced by animal confinement facilities exceeds that produced by humans by at least three times.
IFAP runoff also carries antibiotics and hormones, pesticides, and heavy metals.
Air quality degradation is also a problem in and around IFAP facilities because of the localized release of significant quantities of toxic gases, odorous substances, and particulates and bioaerosols that contain a variety of microorganisms including human pathogens.
Some of the most objectionable compounds are the organic acids, which include acetic acid, butyric acids, valeric acids, caproic acids, and propanoic acid; sulfur containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl sulfide; and nitrogen-containing compounds including ammonia, methyl amines, methyl pyrazines, skatoles and indoles.
Full article: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=38438
Washington, DC - 04/29/2008 - The current industrial farm animal production (IFAP) system often poses unacceptable risks to public health, the environment and the welfare of the animals themselves, according to an extensive 2?-year examination conducted by the Pew Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (PCIFAP), in a study released today.
Adverse community health effects from exposure to IFAP air emissions fall into two categories: (1) respiratory symptoms, disease and impaired function, and (2) neurobehavioral symptoms and impaired function.
According to the EPA, the annual production of manure produced by animal confinement facilities exceeds that produced by humans by at least three times.
IFAP runoff also carries antibiotics and hormones, pesticides, and heavy metals.
Air quality degradation is also a problem in and around IFAP facilities because of the localized release of significant quantities of toxic gases, odorous substances, and particulates and bioaerosols that contain a variety of microorganisms including human pathogens.
Some of the most objectionable compounds are the organic acids, which include acetic acid, butyric acids, valeric acids, caproic acids, and propanoic acid; sulfur containing compounds such as hydrogen sulfide and dimethyl sulfide; and nitrogen-containing compounds including ammonia, methyl amines, methyl pyrazines, skatoles and indoles.
Full article: http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=38438