Thermochemical Conversion of Swine Manure: Temperature and Pressure Responses

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The trend of hog production is to larger more intesnive operations. One of the largest impediments to these operations are manure and odour related problems. A thermochemical conversion (TCC) process is one where sufficient heat (160-250 C) and subsequent pressure applied to the manure for a period of 120-180 minutes resulting in swine manure sludge and oil products. The results found were preliminary, however, the TCC process was shown to reduce the chemical oxygen demand levels by 94% and approximately 8.5% of the volatile solids were converted into an oil product.

Odor and Gas Reduction from Sprinkling Soybean Oil ina Pig Nursery

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Daily sprinkling of small amounts fo soybean oil inside a pig nursery facility reduced odour, H2S and total dust levels of the air inside the barn and in the emission or exhaust ventilation air. Oil sprinkling, as outlined in the MWPS AED-42 publication (40 ml/square meter for the first 2 days, 20 mlk/ square meter for days 3 and 4 and 5 ml/square meter for the remaining time the pigs were in the room. Once every 2 weeks a surge amount of 20 ml/square meter would be added) ,was not effective in reducing ammonia concentrations or respirable dust levels inside the treatment barn when compared to a similar control barn.

An Inflatable Cover for a Concrete Manure Storage in a Swine Facility

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A Comprehensive Experimental Study of Aerial Pollutants in and Emissions from Livestock Buildings. Part 1: Methods

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Airborne pollutants in, and emissions from livestock
buildings aA

World Hog Production: Constrained by Environmental Concerns?

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International trade in pork has risen significantly in recent years. Exports of the major pork exporting countries grew at an annual rate of 4 percent during 1989-97 as a result of bilateral and multilateral trade agreements, income growth, and technological innovations in transport and shelf-life extension. There is little doubt that as incomes continue to grow, markets continue to liberalize, and science finds new ways to extend the shelf life of fresh meat over longer periods, international trade in pork will increase further. USDAa

An Integrated Anaerobic/Aerobic/Anoxic Process for Energy Recovery and Nutrient Removal from Swine Wastewater

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In North Carolina much of the feed is imported into the state and hogs exported, leaving the manure in state as a result of the production process. This study examined a anaerobic biofilm digestor with intermittent aeration, and evaluated the effectiveness of energy recovery, organics reduction and nutrient removal from swine effluent. A significant reduction in organics (66% COD and 56% TOC) and suspended solids (68% TSS and 72% VSS) was realized in the anaerobic digestor, and biogas production was 43.2 ml per litre of digestor volume per day, achieving a methane content of 85%. Organics reduction and strong nitrification were achieved through the aeration tank, however no significant denitrification was observed in the intermittent aeration process.

Social Consequences of Environmental Concerns (2)

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See Lasley, P. 1997. Social Consequences of Environmental Concerns (1) as the author discussed the same elements in both presentations. The summary of the other presentation is copied here.
The changes in the pork industry with the decline of the number of small producers and the increase number of large scale production units bring concerns about family farming and life quality in rural communities and neighborhoods. Opposition to the expansion of large intensive production units comes mainly from concerns about the environment and the impact on neighborhoods. Controversy comes from the values and belief that have either pork production advocates or critics. Often what is considered by one group as a fact may be judged by the other as a myth. Facts and data, when they exist are often not acceptable to all parties. One factor that can be pointed to explain environmental problems seems to be poor management practices and poor managers. And this is not related to the size of the swine farm or production unit. Large production units well manage may have much less environmental impacts than smaller units where balance between livestock numbers and available land is inappropriate, or if manure is considered as a waste. As changes in the society occur and pork producers become a more of minority even in areas where the number had been once important, it is unreasonable to expect that farming could benefit from exceptions or privileges when environment is considered. Environment has to become an important concern of the pork industry as environmental record is often seen as a good indicator of community commitment. Industry with bad environmental record are often viewed as unwelcome development and become the target of more public scrutiny and regulation.

The elements brought in this article are very interesting in the way they present the situation and the fact that the swine industry advocates and the critics don’t have the same view of the production and don’t see things from the same grounds. However no path of solutions are given. The management seem to be the key toward better respect of the environmenta

Separation Distances for Swine Odor Control in Relation to Manure Nutrient Balances

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A Comprehensive Experimental Study of Aerial Pollutants in and Emissions from Livestock Buildings. Part 2: Results

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Comprehensive measurements of aerial pollutants
were carried out in a mechanically-ventilated fattening
piggery and in a naturally-ventilated (Louisiana-type)
broiler house. In the piggery, ventilation rate was directly
measured using fan-wheel anemometers and indirectly
estimated by a CO2 balance method. Over 24 h, the
indirect CO2 method underestimated the direct method
by+6)5%. Concentrations of inhalable dust and of the
gases NH3 and CO2 were monitored quasi-continuously
in both buildings. In the piggery gravimetric and wet
chemical measurements were used to investigate the spatial
variation of dust and ammonia concentration, respectively;
only towards the walls were signiAzcant variations
found. Seasonal inAYuences were detected for inhalable
dust concentration in the broiler house and for ammonia
concentration in the piggery. Altogether, the comprehensive
study showed that the results of a related Azeld
survey, which used an array of measuring positions in the
central cross-sectional plane of each livestock building,
were comparable and suA

Environmental Regulation and Competitiveness in the Hog Industry An International Perspective

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This paper is based on a study reviewing environmental regulations affecting the hog industry in
The United States, several European Union (EU) countries (Belgium, Denmark, Holland),
Poland, and Taiwan (see appendix attached for review). The study further assesses the
competitiveness of the hog industry in these countries, focusing on the key determinants of
competitiveness including the impact of environmental regulations. In the next section, we
summarize findings on environmental regulations in these countries, including an environmental
stringency ranking, and then we draw implications for their competitiveness in hog production
and trade in hog products. In the appendix, we review each countrya