60
Water In Ecosystems: A Non Renewable Resource
Table 1. Mineral fertilizer use in Moldavia (thousand tons)
Fertilizer
1977
1991
1992
Mineral
1000
204
135
Nitrogen
87
65
Phosphorus
81
46
Potassium
36
24
4
THE IMPACT OF INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK
HUSBANDRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The pollution caused by stock breeding is also an important problem affecting the
environment in Moldavia. A very complicated ecological situation is created due
to the accumulation of animal husbandry unit wastes (8,22 million t) and the
unsatisfactory condition of accumulators. More than half of the accumulators are
not concrete and therefore a possibility of ground water pollution is not excluded.
Most of the livestock systems lack devices for waste effluent purification. Animal
residues are stored in accumulators without any treatment and farmers refuse to
use them for fertilization and irrigation. Sufficiently high levels of nitrogen, of
nitrates and ammonia, chlorine, sodium, sulphur, some heavy metals as well as
pathogens were discovered in manure. There are several different ways in which
intensive livestock production units can pollute the environment. The presence of
such units creates local problems through noise and smell, and a modification of
the visual landscape. Specific problems arise from the storage and spreading of
effluents, through run-off or leaching of manure components into the soil and
also through the emission of acidic gases into the air.
In addition, manure pollution can affect health, local ecosystems and ecosystems
in general. Most of the effects on health concern the deterioration of the potable
water quality through the increased concentration of nitrates which may be
converted into cancerogenic compounds. Furthermore, water resources can be
polluted by pathogens from manure.
This urgent problem could be solved through the following approaches: decrease
of the manure mineral residues through its decrease in feeds; encouragement of
development of manure treatment and marketing arrangements; introduction of
regulations to control production, spreading and removal of manure.
Water In Ecosystems: A Non Renewable Resource
Table 1. Mineral fertilizer use in Moldavia (thousand tons)
Fertilizer
1977
1991
1992
Mineral
1000
204
135
Nitrogen
87
65
Phosphorus
81
46
Potassium
36
24
4
THE IMPACT OF INTENSIVE LIVESTOCK
HUSBANDRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT
The pollution caused by stock breeding is also an important problem affecting the
environment in Moldavia. A very complicated ecological situation is created due
to the accumulation of animal husbandry unit wastes (8,22 million t) and the
unsatisfactory condition of accumulators. More than half of the accumulators are
not concrete and therefore a possibility of ground water pollution is not excluded.
Most of the livestock systems lack devices for waste effluent purification. Animal
residues are stored in accumulators without any treatment and farmers refuse to
use them for fertilization and irrigation. Sufficiently high levels of nitrogen, of
nitrates and ammonia, chlorine, sodium, sulphur, some heavy metals as well as
pathogens were discovered in manure. There are several different ways in which
intensive livestock production units can pollute the environment. The presence of
such units creates local problems through noise and smell, and a modification of
the visual landscape. Specific problems arise from the storage and spreading of
effluents, through run-off or leaching of manure components into the soil and
also through the emission of acidic gases into the air.
In addition, manure pollution can affect health, local ecosystems and ecosystems
in general. Most of the effects on health concern the deterioration of the potable
water quality through the increased concentration of nitrates which may be
converted into cancerogenic compounds. Furthermore, water resources can be
polluted by pathogens from manure.
This urgent problem could be solved through the following approaches: decrease
of the manure mineral residues through its decrease in feeds; encouragement of
development of manure treatment and marketing arrangements; introduction of
regulations to control production, spreading and removal of manure.