Of all the subjects the NY Times editorial board could chime in on, this one’s a hoot (don’t worry, though, because I have another one set up for later today)
North Carolina’s Noxious Pig Farms
The landscape of eastern North Carolina is dotted with giant pools of bright pink sludge. These are waste lagoons, where industrial farms across the state dispose of billions of gallons of untreated pig urine and feces every year.
The waste can carry E. coli, salmonella, cryptosporidium and other bacteria that can lead to serious illness or death if they spread to humans. After Hurricane Matthew deluged North Carolina this month, at least 14 of the lagoons flooded.
Environmental advocates and state officials have been flying over regions to identify overflowing lagoons where floodwaters have become mixed with the waste, a public health hazard that could last for weeks as bacteria flow into rivers and streams, potentially sickening those who come into contact with those waters.
Bacteria can also contaminate groundwater, the main source of drinking water for more than three million North Carolinians. Meanwhile, the nitrogen and phosphorus in hog waste can kill fish and damage ecosystems. State officials are now beginning to test rivers to assess the level of contamination.
Now, this is certainly a concern from a purely environmental and health point of view. And boy howdy do they smell. We used to drive by one on the way from ECU to Emerald Isle back in the day, and if the wind was wrong, even rolling up the windows made no difference. That said, I’m assuming the NYTEB will assault the pig farms in NY state and refuse to eat any pork, right? Wait for it
In states where hog farmers use waste lagoons, like North Carolina and Illinois, flooding is a serious hazard that may become more frequent as climate change leads to more severe storms. Even under normal conditions, lagoons can produce dangerous gases, noxious smells and dust containing hog waste. People living near these lagoons are at increased risk of asthma, diarrhea, eye irritation, depression and other health problems.
North Carolina took steps toward protecting its residents by passing a moratorium on new lagoons in 1997 and making it permanent in 2007. But around 4,000 lagoons constructed before 1997 remain in active use. Unless North Carolina and other states require agriculture companies to change their waste-disposal methods, what happened after Hurricane Matthew will happen again.
So, what recommendations are the NY Times editorial board offering? Really, none. And without offering solutions, that’s what you call “whining.’ The point here, though, is to whine about ‘climate change.’ These people. Sheesh.
Perhaps we should follow the way an advanced country like China handles their animal waste, by tenting it and using the off gases to power diesel engines to supply electricity. https://www.google.com/webhp?sourceid=chrome-instant&ion=1&espv=2&ie=UTF-8#q=china%20dairy%20methane%20capture
I’m good with that, John. It’s a good idea. I’ve never understood why they don’t try and do more with the waste products. If not for health and environmental reasons, then to make extra money.
Hahahahahahahahahahah, China, an “advanced country”. Do you consider all countries who use their people for slave labor and murder their children by government decree “advanced” or just the communist ones since as we know communism is so advanced. hahahahahah.
Clearly, we have to ban all use of porcine products to save Mother Gaia!
The moslems will go or that Dana, but I want my bacon.
As usual, john fails to realize how his arguments undercut other points he has tried to make in the past.
The biggest impediments to using waste products from animals are costs of the equipment and regulations. There is great oversight from planning board, inspections, EPA impact fees, DOE, etc, all of which john thinks are great and doesn’t affect how a company does business.
Many farms (even most) do use animal waste in order to generate power, but for smaller farms, the cost is often prohibitive because of people – people like john – demanding more regulations.
(As others have noted, claiming China – a country that is abusive in almost all areas of human rights – is “advanced” shows the lack of intelligence and critical thinking that john demonstrates so often.)
Excellent point gitarcarver, I was laughing so hard at calling a crap hole like China “advanced” I lost my place. Unlike you john, I actually have been to China since we partner in 64 restaurants in S. Korea and Hong Kong. I’ve seen how “advanced” they are. They may be advanced in the care and handling of pig shit but in almost every other respect you wouldn’t want to live there. I was uncomfortable just visiting but then I hate commies. Come to think about it, you’d get along just fine.
Teach typed:
Sounds like a call for more regulation. Why won’t the NC legislature and Gov fix the problem?
GC,
I interpreted john’s “advanced” regarding China as ironic, as compared to how unadvanced the US is about things conservatives routinely oppose, such as environmental regulations.
What specific regulations are stopping small farmers from using anaerobic digestion?
Sorry I guess that next time I shouldn’t try and use any irony to make my point. The point is that even countries NOT as developed as the USA have found ways to deal with the waste from factory farming. NC as well as other states should regulate their industries more strictly.
Hoagie I have been to China. And about 30 other countries .
My point is that how is it that we see other countries NOT as well developed as the USA now LEADING the USA in some areas? Why shouldn’t we force this shithole ,akers to clean up their act.
So Hoagie as a customer presumably of pork why don’t you ask your producers to clean up their act ?
Afraid it will cut into the bottom line?
Already answered Jeffery. There are a LOT of hoops to jump through.
john opinied:
Farming and animal waste from farming is highly regulated already john. It figures that you think the answer to the problem is more regulations which effectively limits the type of thing you are talking about doing.
The problem with liberals is that they think that business owners want to make as little as possible instead of maximizing profits. If converting animal waste to energy were profitable on all sizes of farms, farms would do it. Instead, it is not profitable because of the regulations that are in place for animal waste and the conversion to energy.
So what people like john think is that because regulations make something less profitable, we should regulate even more.
You can’t argue with that type of logic because there is no logic to argue with.
“Flooding may become more frequent as climate change leads to more severe storms..” Or, it may not. Absolutely no evidence “climate change” leads to more severe storms. But what would one expect-this is the NYT.
When you make a comment like that john, I can only wonder how you think economics and business works in that mind of yours. If you want something done, produced or even improved you MUST consider how much it will cut into the bottom line. Don’t you understand that? When you destroy all profit you destroy the product. Ask the people of the old Soviet Union or Cuba, Venezuela or North Korea about how cutting the bottom line emptied their shelves.
Regulating something for the good of society can be a balancing act. You can regulate something out of existence. If you take the profit out of pork you will have no pork. I don’t know what business you’re in john but if they regulate the bottom line away you’ll be out of business. Why is the bottom line and the idea that others beside you are entitled to make AND KEEP the money they earn by the sweat of their brow so bad?
Frankly, if the Chinese are so good at it why don’t we ship our pig piss to China? If they are really making energy out of it they should pay us for it.
Hoagie I have been to China. And about 30 other countries .
Being there and living there are two seperate things entirely. Did you work in these countries if so I would like your opinion on China’s entry requirements? How exactly did you obtain your work permit to be allowed to work in this country. What was your entry point and who met you at the airport…..What was the airport like and how did you communicate with the locals….If a tourist then being anywhere means nothing….It just means your a rich democrat who has figured out how to hide his money and demand others money to pay for welfare.