Associated Press
09-04-06
ICCI: Factory Farm Emissions Too High
DES MOINES, Iowa -- A citizen advocacy group said new environmental data
shows that factory farms are releasing levels of ammonia above recommended
safe health standards.
Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement based its findings on an Iowa
Department of Natural Resources field study. The study collects air emissions
data on ammonia and hydrogen sulfide at ten sites around the state.
ICCI said the data showed that levels of ammonia are consistently above the
standard of 150 parts per billion recommended in a 2002 University of Iowa-Iowa
State University air quality study.
The study has been controversial, and the Legislature has repeatedly put up
roadblocks to the adoption of ammonia standards.
However, it charged the DNR with conducting the field study to gather
information on the issue.
ICCI said for the first six months of this year, the data showed that eight of the 10
farms monitored had a total of 58 days above the recommended 150 parts per
billion level.
The group said high ammonia levels have been linked to human health
problems.
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