News article, 30. May 2023
Regular discharge now a legal requirement in pig units
With effect from 1 May, it is a legal requirement that frequent discharge be carried out in existing finisher units and in all new pig units.
In connection with the 2021 agricultural agreement – Agreement on the Green Transition of Danish Agriculture – a legal requirement has been introduced with effect from 1 May 2023 concerning discharge at least every seven days in existing finisher units and for all new pig units where an application for environmental approval is submitted after 1 May 2023. Compliance with the legal requirement will be checked by the municipalities.
Reduction of 150,000-170,000 tonnes CO2E
Methane emissions account for around 2.5% of Danish greenhouse gas emissions. Of this, around 77% comes from manure while the remaining 23% comes from the animals’ large intestine. It is the amount that originates from the manure that can be reduced by this legal requirement. The requirement will contribute to a reduction in Danish pig production’s greenhouse gas emissions corresponding to 150,000 tonnes CO2-equivalents per year by 2025 rising to 170,000 tonnes CO2 equivalents by 2030.
Frequent manure discharge - part of the solution
Bacteria, which transforms carbon in manure to methane, thrive well in temperatures between 20 and 40 degrees. Consequently, substantial amounts of methane are emitted at these temperatures. As a rule, discharge in housing units takes place once every 4–5 weeks. However, more frequent discharge is now seen as part of the solution to the problem of methane emission.
"The purpose of frequent discharge is to remove the manure out of the warm housing unit to the cooler storage conditions of the manure container or to the biogas plant as quickly as possible. Methane, which is a strong greenhouse gas, is formed in large quantities in manure in warm housing conditions,” says Michael Holm, Senior Consultant, SEGES Innovation.
Facts:
- The legal requirement was adopted on 23 February 2023.
- The legal requirement for discharging at least once a week came into effect on 1 May 2023.
- The legal requirement will reduce methane emissions by up to 45%. With daily discharge, it would be possible to reduce discharge by up to 90%.
- Around 77% of methane in Danish pig production is caused by bacteria which thrive in housing units.
- Compliance with the new legislation will be checked by municipalities and record keeping.
- Where possible manure from Danish pig producers will end up in biogas plants.