Baseline scenario for gas, odor, dust and particulate matter emissions from swine buildings in Quebec : part 1 : emissions inventory

The livestock industry, particularly the swine sector, has taken measures to minimize the environmental impacts of meat production at both the local, regional and global scale. This paper reported on solutions to reduce emissions associated with animal production through animal waste management. The substances targeted by technological improvements for swine barns include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, ammonia, dust, odors and particulate matters. Stakeholders in Quebec's swine sector have taken the initiative to evaluate and compare the environmental performances of various in-barn technologies and practices. This paper also presented a project aimed at defining baseline scenarios for gaseous wastes, odor, dust and particulate matter emissions from pig barns, using 2006 as the reference year. The study considered all stages of production of a typical farrow-to-finish farm in Quebec. The paper outlined a methodology based on emissions inventory in order to define this baseline scenario. The results and key limitations of this methodology were discussed. 26 refs., 5 tabs., 1 appendix.