Waste

The waste produced by ILO's is a significant public concern. While eco-systems are able to absorb the waste produced in traditional livestock production systems, the quantity of waste produced by the large numbers of animals housed in ILO's greatly increases the risk that both air quality and water quality will be jeopardized. In jurisdictions across North America, ILO's have put eco-systems at risk, both from routine waste emissions as well as from the release of large amounts of waste due to accidents, mismanagement, or unforseen circumstances.

In the United States, The Environmental Protection Agency is expected to announce on Dec 16, 2002, final rules to regulate the vast amounts of manure produced by large U.S. livestock farms.

The Canadian Medical Association, at its annual meeting in Aug 2002, expressed its concern over the contamination risk posed by the intensive hogbarn industry, going so far as to resolve to ask the federal, provincial, and territorial governments for a moratorium on industry expansion. The complete resolution is as follows:

  1. That CMA express its concern with regard to the risk to public health in rural areas that is presented by the development of industrial hog farms.
  2. That CMA ask federal, provincial and territorial governments for a moratorium on the expansion of the hog industry until scientific data on the attendant health risks are known.
  3. That CMA urge the federal, provincial and territorial governments to initiate and support research into contaminants associated with industrial hog farms.

ILO wastes links