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Waste from agricultural livestock operations has been a long-standing concern with respect to contamination of water resources, particularly in terms of nutrient pollution. However, the recent growth of concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) presents a greater risk to water quality because of both the increased volume of waste and to contaminants that may be present (e.g., antibiotics and other veterinary drugs) that may have both environmental and public health importance. Based on available data, generally accepted livestock waste management practices do not adequately or effectively protect water resources from contamination with excessive nutrients, microbial pathogens, and pharmaceuticals present in the waste. Impacts on surface water sources and wildlife have been documented in many agricultural areas in the United States. Potential impacts on human and environmental health from long-term inadvertent exposure to water contaminated with pharmaceuticals and other compounds are a growing public concern. This workgroup, which is part of the Conference on Environmental Health Impacts of Concentrated Animal Feeding Operations: Anticipating Hazards-Searching for Solutions, identified needs for rigorous ecosystem monitoring in the vicinity of CAFOs and for improved characterization of major toxicants affecting the environment and human health. Last, there is a need to promote and enforce best practices to minimize inputs of nutrients and toxicants from CAFOs into freshwater and marine ecosystems. Key words: ecology, human health, poultry, swine, water contaminants, wildlife. Environ Health Perspect 115:308-312 (2007). doi:10.1289/ehp.8839 available via http://dx.doi.org/ [Online 14 November 2006]
Background and Recent Developments
Concentrated animal feed operations and water quality. Animal cultivation in the United States produces 133 million tons of manure per year (on a dry weight basis) representing 13-fold more solid waste than human sanitary waste production [U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) 1998]. Since the 1950s (poultry) and the 1970s-1980s (cattle, swine), most animals are now produced for human consumption in concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs). In these industrialized operations, the animals are held throughout their lives at high densities in indoor stalls until they are transported to processing plants for slaughter. There is substantial documentation of major, ongoing impacts on aquatic resources from CAFOs, but many gaps in understanding remain.
Contaminants detected in waste and risk of water contamination. Contaminants from animal wastes can enter the environment through pathways such as through...