Iowa Hog Confinements Built at Record Pace
by Perry Beeman, Des Moines Register.com
The number of large sites continues to grow, despite their neighbors' concerns
Iowa
this year set a record for new large-scale livestock confinements, as
neighbors and critics continue to complain about pollution risks and
fight the industry trend toward larger operations.
…The
risks are documented. Studies . . . have associated hog confinements
with neighbors' complaints of nausea, respiratory problems, headaches,
depression and diarrhea. The University of Iowa estimated hog
confinements emit more than 100 chemicals and compounds, including
hydrogen sulfide and ammonia.
(Click here to read the complete article.)
Also, according to the DMReg, the list of dangers from hog confinements includes:
HYDROGEN SULFIDE:
At even low levels, hydrogen sulfide can cause eye irritation,
dizziness, coughing and headaches. At higher levels, most often found
inside or in confined spaces, it can kill, as it did in Des Moines when
two sewer workers were overcome by the fumes in July, 2002.
AMMONIA: It can cause respiratory problems, and death at high levels.
METHANE:
The greenhouse gas contributes to global climate change. It can be
burned for power, if collected, and can smother at high levels.
ENDOTOXINS: The cell walls of these bacteria can lead to
respiratory problems.
TETRACHLOROETHYLENE:
These are associated with cancers, kidney and liver trouble, eye and
lung irritation, headaches and neurological problems at high
concentrations.
Blog For Iowa 
Just remember the Iowa Secretary of Ag is supportive of these monstrosities.
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My only caviate is to demand they are required to not only reduce these results, but sugnificantly limit the size of confinement sites and if they are allowed to continue, REQUIRE they provide local energy needs by controlling and trapping the wastes and turning it into methane to run electrical generators, and provide less hazardous fertilizer. The manure pits and lagoons are completely ignorant methods for controlling confined animal wastes. We humans don't let our crap sit in the open or accidently run into streams, unless there is a accident at the water and waste plant. This is being done on a large scale in Oregon with their dairy farm wastes. Personally, I think it's because of this type of excess and hazardous wastes from large hog ownership that the old religious commands to eshew eating pork came about. Saying God commands it made it easier than trying to enact laws and regulations.
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