How Can You Help?

The General Assembly passed a law in 1996 requiring all livestock farmers to submit an odor control and insect control plan. Complaints of daily intolerable odor are investigated, and farmers not complying with their plan can be fined up to $10,000 a day. North Carolina State University is currently researching some alternatives to dry feeds and lagoon methods of waste disposal. One North Carolina farmer has spent thousands of dollars confining the gases and using them to heat greenhouses for crops. Most hog farmers attempt to comply with clean air standards and minimize the possibility that the wind will carry odor to residential areas.

As a livestock farmer, here are some of the ways you can control dust from feed and gases from lagoons and sprays:

• Cover feeds with plastic
• Install fans in hog houses to trap dust from feeds before they enter ventilation systems
• Be sure lagoons are sealed, so they are not leaking into the soil or groundwater
• Cover lagoons with plastic cover and check regularly for cracks or rising of cover
• Wait for a day with low wind or when wind is blowing toward your farm and not away before turning or pumping lagoon

Since the passage of the Clean Air Act, states must maintain an acceptable level of air quality, based on the National Ambient Air Quality Standards. Each state must submit a State Implementation Plan detailing reduction strategies for air pollution. Coal-fired power plants are not subject to the same standards as newer industries.

As a concerned citizen, you can help reduce air pollution by motor vehicle emissions by following these suggestions:

• Use public transportation whenever you can.
• Carpool with others in your office.
• Combine your errands into one trip.
• Avoid revving or idling your engine over 30 seconds.
• If a drive-in line is very long, go into the restaurant.
• Accelerate gradually, maintain speed limit and use cruise control on the highway.
• Use an energy-conserving grade of motor oil.
• Use EPA-certified facilities for air conditioner repair.
• Replace your car's air filter and oil at least every 3000 miles or every 3 months.
• Fill gas tank during cooler evening hours