New EU environmental standards for large poultry and pig farms

New standards on resources and emissions will help national authorities across the EU to lower the environmental impact of around 20 000 large poultry and pig farms. The new specifications stem from the review of the Best Available Techniques (BAT) Reference Document for the intensive rearing of poultry and pigs (IRPP), the so-called IRPP BREF, whose conclusions were published on 21 February 2017 in the Official Journal of the EU.

New limits for intensive farms-derived emissions

Nutritional management, animal rearing, and management of manure are the main farm processes and activities affected by the review of the IRPP BREF. The BAT conclusions set, for the first time at the EU level, limits for ammonia emissions to air from animal housing and for excretions of nitrogen and phosphorus for six categories of pigs or poultry. Addressing these emissions can reduce the environmental impact from the large poultry and pig farms covered by the new requirements and will help the implementation of the new National Emission Ceilings (NEC) Directive, the Nitrates Directive and the Water Framework Directive.

Further information: New EU environmental standards for large poultry and pig farms