Balticsea 2020

The IPP Program – measures to reduce nutrient-leaching from industrial livestock production

A key point source to eutrophication of the Baltic Sea is nutrients leaching from the huge amounts of manure produced at industrial livestock production. BalticSea2020 has initiated the “Intensive Pig Production Program” (IPP Program), to identify and promote best available technologies for manure treatment.

The program aim to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus loads to water. This will be achieved through identification and implementation of measures which efficiently recirculate the nutrients in manure to the plant production. Initially, a series of research studies have mapped the scope of the problem around the Baltic Sea, identified measures and given recommendations for “Best Available Technologies”:

• Safe storing of manure and digestate – to prevent leakage to air and water
• Anaerobic digestion of manure – to increase the nitrogen plant availability
• Separation of manure/digestate – to facilitate the proper dosage of nutrients
• Timely spreading of manure/digestate – to maximize uptake of nutrients by crops
• National standards for nutrients concentrations in manure – to enable spreading of the proper  volume of manure
• National norms for maximum dosage of both nitrogen and phosphorus – to reduce the risk of  leaching/run-off of nutrients

Knowledge dissemination
Knowledge and findings within the programme is communicated to regulators, responsible authorities and the pig industry. BalticSea2020 work in close dialogue with ongoing related projects in the Baltic Sea region, such as HELCOM, EU Baltic Sea Regional Strategy, Baltic Manure, Baltic Compass and Baltic Deal. Findings are also communicated to EU DG Environment and the IED Bureau, in order to improve the environmental regulations for intensive pig and poultry production, within the EU’s ”Industrial Emissions Directive”.

Demonstration Plant
The overall objective of the programme is to establish a pig manure based demonstration plant where the identified measures will be implemented, evaluated and demonstrated. In cooperation with Swedish Biogas International, the Nordic Investment bank and The Polish State Agricultural Advisory Services, CDR a feasibility study has been completed regarding the establishment of the demonstration plant in connection to a large polish pig farm. The study showed difficulties to achieve profitability in the manure-based biogas production under present conditions in Poland, and the demonstration plant will therefore focus on other recommended actions.

For more information regarding the pig manure based demonstration plant, click here. The project is part of the IPP Program.