Giant factory farm pollution is untethered, campaigner claims

Ten giant, intensive agriculture corporations are producing almost double the excrement that is produced by the ten largest cities in the UK, but none were found to have policies in place to prevent pollution leeching into water bodies. That is according to research from Sustain and Friends of the Earth, published today.

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The study found the companies (see table) have over 144m animals in production at any one time and are responsible for up to 55,262 tonnes of animal waste per day. Their operational areas are clustered in polluted river catchments including the Wye, Trent, Severn, Lough Neagh and the Broadland Rivers. All supply to major UK supermarkets.

Friends of the Earth called for a new Business, Human Rights and Environment Act to require UK companies to prevent environmental harm and human rights abuses in their supply chains, and a new UK law enshrining a human right to a clean, healthy and sustainable environment.

Other recommendations in the study included:

• a halt on new intensive livestock units in river catchments where nutrient loads are exceeded, or rivers are in unfavourable condition;

• a series of just and equitable options – supported by government – for farmers that want to transition to more sustainable farming that benefits food security, including growing more vegetables, pulses, and legumes;

• better powers and funding for regulatory agencies; and

• reform of planning and permitting regulations which are allowing new units to be built in polluted river catchments. The authors highlighted that local authorities already have significant powers to introduce planning policy to better scrutinise intensive livestock units.

Corporate justice campaigner at Friends of the Earth, Clare Oxborrow, said: “There is an urgent need for the government to step in and force the vast agribusinesses responsible for this toxic waste – and the supermarkets they supply – to take action to protect our waterways and the wider environment.”