Industrial Swine Facilities

This paper addresses the complex odor issues associated with large-scale swine production in both Oklahoma and other states. It includes an overview of the nature and effects of these odors and gases, outlines the different odor-reduction technologies available to corporate swine producers, and describes existing odor and gas regulations in various states and countries and the laws that have expedited this regulatory process. Finally, this paper offers recommendations as to how neighboring communities and swine producers can move forward in the pursuit of regulating and alleviating the odor and gas problems associated with industrial swine production. Regulating the gaseous and odor problems associated with swine production is difficult because of the elusive nature of the problem itself. Because it is uncertain as to which specific swine emission is contributing to adverse public health effects, creating health based regulations would be a challenge at this time. The same is true for threshold-based odor regulations.