Factory Farms
As of 2018 the EPA counted 20,300 factory farms active across the so-called United States. The department of agriculture estimated that there were actually more than 450,000 farms, but many of them are too small to be counted under the EPA's tally.[1] From 2012 to 2018 there was a consistent increase of 96 million animals per year across factory farms.[2]
Water Pollution
Livestock and poultry create about 2.4 billion tons of manure a year.[3] Manure leads to nitrogen and phosphorus in water, which makes it harmful for people, potentially causing irritated skin and gastrointestinal and respiratory problems.[4]
Runoff
Excess manure is often times not able to be contained within the farms, which leads to runoff polluting water sources. Three quarters of factory farms discharge pollution.[5] Contamination of water from farms is not regulated under the 1972 Clean Water Act despite the large amount of contamination present in and around large factory farms. In 2022 the EPA was sued by dozens of advocacy groups over the lack of water protections.[6]
Regulatory Loopholes
Sources
- ↑ https://www.pbs.org/newshour/economy/factory-farms-provide-abundant-food-but-environment-suffers
- ↑ https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=364421
- ↑ https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=364421
- ↑ https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/emergency/sanitation-wastewater/animal-feeding-operations.html
- ↑ https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2008/11/20/E8-26620/revised-national-pollutant-discharge-elimination-system-permit-regulation-and-effluent-limitations
- ↑ https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/oct/19/epa-lawsuit-water-pollution-factory-farms