Livestock production creates 64% of total anthropogenic ammonia, contributing to acid rain

Livestock generates 64 percent of total human-related ammonia (NH4), which contributes to acid rain and other environmentally detrimental effects.

Ammonia is very toxic to water-dwelling organisms. It is one of the gases important in “acid rain”, playing an important part in the long range transport of the acidic pollutants, and can also contribute to localised soil acidification.

Global anthropogenic atmospheric emission of ammonia has recently been estimated at some 47 million tonnes Nitrogen (N). Most of this (94%) is produced by the agricultural sector, of which the livestock sector contributes about 68 percent, mainly from deposited and applied manure. There is resulting air and environmental pollution such as eutrophication and odour.

Nitrogen depositions can have substantially different environmental effects depending on the type of ecosystem they affect. The modelled distribution of atmospheric Nitrogen deposition levels in the report shows a strong and clear co-incidence with intensive livestock production areas.

The report states:

“[t]errestrial and aquatic ecosystems are affected by emissions into the environment (nutrient and pathogen discharge in marine and freshwater ecosystems, ammonia emissions, acid rain).”

Source: Livestock’s Long Shadow (UN FAO) – Full Report

Date: 29 November 2006

Source: Ammonia – UK Environment Agency

Date: Retreived 29 March 2010