Broad information is given on manure design and emphasis is put on the need of proper management to make sure that biodegradation is done in the lagoon therefore minimizing odors and other nuisance. Proper desigh will tend to lower the maintenance needs as manure management is a lower priority in swine industry. Emissions from lagoons are important particularly for the nitrogen. Nutrients are then lost to the atmosphere as NH3, NOX, N2O and N2. The biodegradation is possible only under relativley warm weather conditions (higher 10 C). In Canada, these conditions are not reach during periods of time that are long enough to make manure treatment in lagoons.

As presented lagoons has to be considered as a storage system in most of Canada and not as an anaerobic treatment as it is used in many of the southern states in the U.S.