Feeding the Crisis: The Buried Dangers of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations

By: Gabe Gonzalez

Introduction

Far removed from the traditional livestock practices of the old west, industrial-like Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) now dominate U.S. livestock production. These CAFOs, commonly referred to as factory farms, are operations in which: (1) animals are kept and raised in confined situations; (2) animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals, and production operations are maintained on a small land area; and (3) no grazing is allowed; feed is brought to the animals. To be classified as a CAFO, these operations must also meet the regulatory minimums of animals housed, which vary based on species ranging from 700 to 125,000 animals.

CAFOs allow for the production of large quantities of meat at lower costs but, in turn, produce an incredible amount of manure. A 2010 report estimated that annual manure production from CAFOs was between 1.2 and 1.37 billion tons of waste per year, 3 to 20 times that produced by humans. This waste is captured, mixed with water to form a pumpable slurry, stored in open-air storage lagoons, and often then applied directly to the land. This waste created, captured, and stored in CAFOs poses numerous environmental and public health risks, including harmful airborne emissions and water contamination, needing a more comprehensive regulatory approach.

Water Pollution from CAFOs

One of the most significant environmental concerns associated with CAFOs is water contamination. Animal waste from these operations often contains high concentrations of nutrients, pathogens, heavy metals, and other contaminants. In a CAFO, thousands of animals produce waste that must be managed, and improper disposal or management can lead to water contamination. The waste lagoons used to store liquid manure produced by CAFOs can often threaten water quality through direct or indirect discharges to surface waters. Although lined, these lagoons sometimes leak and are usually designed to leak at a prescribed rate, releasing contaminants into the ground, likely eventually entering groundwater and then traveling to nearby water bodies.

Nutrient pollution can cause devastating impacts on water quality, threatening human health and ecosystems alike. One example is when excess nitrogen and phosphorus enter water sources, causing harmful algal blooms, which produce toxins harmful to humans, pets, and wildlife. Elevated nutrient levels can also cause other life-threatening impacts, such as conditions like “blue baby syndrome” and certain cancers.

Animal waste from CAFOs can carry dangerous pathogens like E. coli, Cryptosporidium, and Giardia. When nearby water bodies become contaminated, they can pose serious public health risks. For instance, exposure to contaminated recreational water can cause gastrointestinal illnesses and infections. When humans contact these pathogens, they can suffer symptoms including diarrhea, dysentery, systemic infections, abdominal pain, vomiting, septicemia, arthritis, renal failure, and pneumonia.

The risks associated with CAFO discharges are not limited to naturally occurring nutrients and pathogens present in manure but also the overuse of antibiotics. CAFOs often administer antibiotics and hormones to animals for growth and disease prevention. However, residues from these drugs can enter the environment via waste runoff, potentially contributing to antibiotic resistance and disrupting the endocrine systems of aquatic organisms and humans alike. Antibiotic-resistant bacteria can be deadly to the elderly, children, and immuno-compromised individuals and even result in complications for healthy individuals.

Air Quality Pollution from CAFOs

CAFOs release various pollutants into the air, including ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, particulate matter, volatile organic compounds, hazardous air pollutants, and odor. These emissions significantly affect local air quality, climate change, and public health.

Ammonia is released when animal waste decomposes, combining with other atmospheric elements to form fine particulate matter (PM2.5), which can penetrate deep into the lungs, causing respiratory issues, especially in vulnerable populations. Ammonia also contributes to acid rain, harming ecosystems by altering soil and water pH levels. Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is released from ruminant animals' digestion process and manure management. Over a 100-year period, methane is approximately 25 times more effective at trapping heat than carbon dioxide, making CAFOs significant contributors to climate change. An estimated 10% of global methane emissions are attributed to animal agriculture. Hydrogen sulfide, a byproduct of manure breakdown, is notorious for its foul odor and can be hazardous at high concentrations. People living near CAFOs report health problems such as headaches, nausea, and respiratory issues, potentially linked to hydrogen sulfide exposure. Additionally, CAFOs generate significant amounts of dust and particulate matter, especially in drier climates. Dust from feed, animal dander, and bedding material can cause respiratory problems, exacerbate asthma, and lower overall air quality for surrounding communities.

The air and water pollution caused by CAFOs has profound implications for public health. Communities near CAFOs report higher rates of respiratory issues, cardiovascular diseases, and mental health challenges. In some states, it has been seen that this detrimental effect on air quality impacts communities of color at a disproportionate rate.

Regulation of CAFOs

The federal regulation of CAFOs in the U.S. primarily falls under the Clean Water Act (CWA) and, to a lesser extent, the Clean Air Act (CAA).

The CWA was passed to "restore and maintain the Nation's waters," aiming not only to reduce but "eliminate" discharges of pollutants into the waters of the United States. The CWA expressly prohibits the discharge of “any pollutants” from any “point source” into “waters of the United States” absent a National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) permit. Congress removed all ambiguity about whether a CAFO is a point source when they specifically identified CAFOs as such, thus requiring facilities that discharge waste into navigable waters to obtain an NPDES permit first. However, many CAFOs avoid regulation under the CWA by claiming zero discharges, even when runoff and leaks are common. Furthermore, the EPA’s ability to regulate these operations has been hindered by federal court decisions prohibiting the EPA from establishing a “duty to apply” for CAFO operators. Continuing the pattern of inadequacy, Colorado’s statewide general permit for CAFOs lacks provisions for federally mandated representative monitoring capable of detecting discharges from CAFO impoundments to surface water via groundwater.

Although CAFOs contribute to air pollution, regulation of CAFOs under the CAA is complex and often non-existent. This has led to significant gaps in the oversight of CAFO emissions, allowing facilities to emit large quantities of greenhouse gases and other harmful pollutants without stringent regulation. In Colorado, regulations only establish an odor emissions standard for swine feeding operations and only require anaerobic waste impoundments be covered, but nothing regarding the harmful air pollution impacts from CAFOs. This regulatory void leaves methane, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, and particulate matter emissions largely unchecked, contributing not only to local air quality degradation but also to broader climate change impacts. The lack of comprehensive air quality regulations fails to account for the cumulative effects of these pollutants, disproportionately impacting nearby communities, especially those in rural and socioeconomically disadvantaged areas. This omission underscores the urgent need for state and federal agencies to implement more robust standards and enforcement mechanisms to mitigate the environmental and public health risks posed by CAFO emissions.

Conclusion

Although these large industrial livestock operations are likely here to stay, much work remains to address the significant pollution risks they pose. CAFOs generate large volumes of animal waste, which, if not properly managed, can contaminate air, soil, and water resources. The regulatory framework under both the CWA and the CAA has proven insufficient in curbing these impacts, exacerbated by regulatory loopholes leading to the unchecked discharges of pollutants. These contaminants can profoundly affect ecosystems by threatening wildlife, harming aquatic life, and impacting human health. Addressing these regulatory gaps is essential to ensure that CAFOs operate with greater accountability. Federal and state lawmakers must strengthen the oversight of these operations, closing loopholes and enforcing stricter standards to protect the environment, public health, and the well-being of pets and wildlife.