Options for centralized management of swine waste

Management of swine waste generated in North Carolina and other states is a challenging problem facing engineers, farmers, scientists, regulators, and policy makers. Technologies for processing and storing swine waste have not been fully developed and refined in a manner acceptable to the public and environmental regulators. The primary concerns with improperly disposed swine waste are the effects on human and livestock health, surface and groundwater quality, air quality, and conservation of nitrogen fertilizers. Centralized swine waste management facilities, analogous to municipal wastewater treatment plants, provide an alternative to individually managed swine lagoons, which are subject to spills, leaks, and improper management and application of waste. A preliminary analysis for Duplin County, N.C., was performed with one, three, or ten centralized waste treatment systems within Duplin County. Centralized waste treatment facilities have high capital and transportation costs as compared to individual on-site lagoons, but may offer greater treatment efficiency and reduced environmental impact with associated economies of scale.

Duke Scholars

Author J. Jeffrey Peirce Civil and Environmental Engineering