Brazil

A Better Use for Pig Poo

This project turns swine waste into useful compost.

Greenhouse Gasses
Reduced:

CO₂

Carbon Dioxide

Solutions Number 5 and 38 in Drawdown – Tropical Forest and Forest protection

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What it does

This project reduces 12,600 metric tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents each year or 126,000 metric tonnes over the 10-year life of the project by recycling swine waste and converting it into compost.

In doing so, the project protects the local water supply and the environment from potential contamination from waste run-off. It also creates a system to provide local communities with low cost and low carbon footprint compost that can be used as fertilizer in local farms.

How it works

Historically, swine farms have disposed of swine waste through anaerobic lagoons, a low-tech animal waste treatment system that involved storing liquid waste in large outdoor wastewater ponds for many days. These anaerobic lagoons stink, draw unhygienic flies, risk contaminating the local water supply (either through surface runoff or soil leaching) and generate significant amounts of methane, a greenhouse gas 84 times more potent than CO2 in the first 20 years after its release.

This project replaces anaerobic lagoons in 13 swine farms with automated mechanized composting units that combine liquid waste with sawdust to create the compost. The mechanized process requires specific conditions, including correct temperature, sufficient oxygen and moisture, in order to make a fertile compost that doesn’t release significant methane emissions. The end result is free, high-quality, nutrient-rich, organic manure that can be used in the community to grow grains and vegetables.

Benefits

Avoids the emission of significant amounts of Methane.
Protects local rivers and community water supply from potential swine waste contamination, thus preserving the health of local plant and animal ecosystems
Creates a cheap and highly valuable supply of organic compost for local farmers
Generates new local jobs and enhances the employability of local workers both directly and indirectly
Brings technology and training to a rural community
Prevents unpleasant odors in the community

Challenges

All the swine farms included in the project lacked experience operating with composting units prior to the project initiation so training is significant
There are new maintenance and operational costs associated with mechanization
Farmers had to be trained to learn a new routine for waste handling

Who it helps

The planet by preventing the emissions of significant amounts of methane, a potent greenhouse gas. The local community by providing farmers with a sustainable and organic source of manure. The local environment by preventing the contamination of rivers and other natural ecosystems.

Why we chose this project

The composting system used to treat manure in Brazil is considered innovative but challenging. The traditional waste treatment system using anaerobic lagoons is well established in the developing world including Brazil. High costs and the barriers due to the prevailing practice are a deterrent. It would not be possible for the small farm owners to afford the associated costs, if not for the revenue from the carbon project.