IATP Hog Report - Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy

Section 4
and 44 control participants not living near hog operations. 34 Neighbors to
the operations experienced odors both outdoors and inside their homes via
open windows and air conditioning systems. The smell permeated
clothing, curtains, and building materials, which released the odor over
time. Persons living close to swine operations and subjected to liquid
manure odors were significantly more angry, depressed, tense, fatigued,
confused, and lethargic, and experienced more total mood disturbances
than the controls. On days when subjects experienced odors, they almost
never recorded a positive feeling. On the day following strong odors,
moods were still depressed. Schiffman found that specific molecules in the
odorous plumes from hog factories cause nasal and respiratory irritation. 35
Nasal irritation can elevate adrenaline, which can contribute to anger and
tension. The volatile organic compounds responsible for odors can be
inhaled and transferred into blood and body fat. These compounds may be
released over time, so that the exposed person continues to smell the odor
after the plume carrying it has changed direction.
Pollutants in Rain Deposition
As much as 70 to 80% of the nitrogen in a lagoon changes from liquid to
gas, which escapes into the atmosphere in a process called ammonia
volatilization. 36 In contrast (depending largely on the amount of carbonrich
bedding used, the more carbon, the lower the ammonia emissions),
dry, pasture or solid manure handling systems lose only 15 to 40% of their
nitrogen to the atmosphere. 37
The gaseous ammonia returns to earth, precipitated from the atmosphere
by rain or trapped by trees, grass, or water bodies, in a process called
atmospheric deposition. 38 In the Netherlands, where pigs outnumber
people, atmospheric deposition of nitrogen is ten times greater than natural
levels and the greatest deposition (50 to 60 kilograms per hectare per year)
occurs in the southeastern portion of the country where the livestock
industry is the most intensive. 39 Nitrogen-enriched rainfall has damaged
natural habitats in the Netherlands and changed the ecology of natural
areas, causing some species of flora to disappear and other, high nitrogenconsuming
species to take their place. 40
The North Carolina Division of Air Quality estimates that collectively
North Carolina's 2,400 large hog factories discharge at least 186 tons of
ammonia into the air every day. 41 As Environmental Defense scientist Joe
Rudek pointed out, factory hog farms in North Carolina operate under nondischarge
permits that prohibit them from dumping waste into streams and
groundwater, yet they discharge ammonia to the environment
continuously via emissions from their liquid manure lagoons. 42 The
permits also allow them to discharge to rivers during major storm events. 43
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