The specialization (click here) and industrialization of American agriculture during the past several decades has resulted in an increased number of agricultural facilities that house and feed a large number of animals in a confined area. These facilities, known as concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs), offer a more efficient system to feed and house animals through specialization, increased facility size and close confinement of animals. They also pose increased environmental and health problems for neighboring properties and communities. Because more waste is generated in CAFOs than other less-dense animal farm facilities, the potential for greater air, water and land pollution increases in nearby areas. In 2003, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) projected that the nation’s 257,000 animal feeding operations annually produced more than 500 million tons of manure. EPA estimated that CAFOs accounted for more than half of this amount....
The Law:
...The EPA has set the permitting requirements for CAFOs (click here) under the NPDES (40 CFR Part 122) and Effluent Limitations Guidelines and Standards (ELG) (40 CFR Part 412)....
The waste from these facilities are often dumped into holding ponds outside. Need I explain how the acceleration of CH4 (methane) production takes place when full sunshine meets liquified animal manure. The investigation as to how to best handle these facilities is yet to be written.
