Low-Cost Waste Management Solutions for Small-to-Medium Scale Pig Farms in China

Abstract

Within the last several years, the Chinese government has implemented strict new waste management regulations for Chinese pig farms. Our project team has partnered with a rural pig farmer, Mr. Zhu, in Anhui Province, China. Our team will research and recommend environmentally and financially sustainable waste management solutions that will help Mr. Zhu’s farm remain compliant. During a summer 2018 assessment trip, we found inadequate storage capacity for pig slurry and issues of wastewater runoff. We also conducted a local community survey and found that local residents are concerned with odor and wastewater runoff from the farm. We will design a treatment system for Mr. Zhu to address these issues by the end of 2018. The library mini-grant will help fund a follow-up trip in summer 2019, during which we will assess and evaluate the solutions that Mr. Zhu will have implemented. We will also conduct a follow-up community survey to confirm that broader community concerns have been addressed.