Northern Ireland turns Republic into 'toilet' for excessive manure pollution
Ireland has become a 'toilet' for cross-border pollution, campaigners say, as authorities investigate claims about the movement of animal manure from Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland has the highest livestock density in the UK, with 25 million poultry and intensive pig numbers at their highest level in 10 year. But eliminating animal waste and rising pollution levels may now halt the expansion of its multibillion-pound export-focused industry.
It follows the discovery of allegedly forged letters used in the planning of livestock farm applications, which has triggered multiple investigations by authorities in Northern Ireland.
The issues came to light in March last year when an internal investigation by the Republic of Ireland agribusiness consultancy, Teagasc, found documents relating to the use of signed letters in applications for planning large-scale poultry farms in Northern Ireland.
Planning authorities accept Teagasc's letters as evidence that farmers in the Republic of ireland, who received the manure, are legitimate. According to Teagasc, however, 60% of the letters examined appeared either "forged" or "altered".
"Northern Ireland is the dirty corner of the UK, and more and more we are seen as the dirty corner of Europe," said James Orr, head of Friends of the Earth NI. "Now the latest dirty secret is the export of huge volumes of excrement to our nearest neighbour."
Dealing with pollution from large amounts of animal feces and urine has long been the problem. livestock industry in Northern Ireland Whether it is applied to farmland as a nutrient rich fertilizer for crop growth or fed into an anaerobic digester to generate biogas, every tonne of manure must be accounted for in application planning for intensive operations.
Ireland has become a 'toilet' for cross-border pollution, campaigners say, as authorities investigate claims about the movement of animal manure from Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland has the highest livestock density in the UK, with 25 million poultry and intensive pig numbers at their highest level in 10 year. But eliminating animal waste and rising pollution levels may now halt the expansion of its multibillion-pound export-focused industry.
It follows the discovery of allegedly forged letters used in the planning of livestock farm applications, which has triggered multiple investigations by authorities in Northern Ireland.
The issues came to light in March last year when an internal investigation by the Republic of Ireland agribusiness consultancy, Teagasc, found documents relating to the use of signed letters in applications for planning large-scale poultry farms in Northern Ireland.
Planning authorities accept Teagasc's letters as evidence that farmers in the Republic of ireland, who received the manure, are legitimate. According to Teagasc, however, 60% of the letters examined appeared either "forged" or "altered".
"Northern Ireland is the dirty corner of the UK, and more and more we are seen as the dirty corner of Europe," said James Orr, head of Friends of the Earth NI. "Now the latest dirty secret is the export of huge volumes of excrement to our nearest neighbour."
Dealing with pollution from large amounts of animal feces and urine has long been the problem. livestock industry in Northern Ireland Whether it is applied to farmland as a nutrient rich fertilizer for crop growth or fed into an anaerobic digester to generate biogas, every tonne of manure must be accounted for in application planning for intensive operations.
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