The Environmental Impact
of Pig Farming
of Pig Farming
How is Irish pig farming destroying
the environment?
The forced breeding, feeding and killing of pigs causes hidden environmental injustices locally and globally. Pig farming pollutes the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the habitats of wildlife, while also contributing to climate change. This is largely attributed to the spread of manure and waste,
but there are a number of pig farming processes which have a negative environmental impact. Ireland generates millions of tonnes of animal manure every year and our environment simply cannot cope with this amount of pollution. Additionally, pig farming causes local health risks, various greenhouse gas emissions, and unsustainable resource use.
Water Pollution
Pig farming causes surface water and groundwater pollution. The processes involved can leak nitrogen and phosphorus, causing excessive growth of algae
in water which damages ecosystems.
Local groundwater pollution can take years and even decades to disappear.
Ammonia Emissions
A key component of pig farm waste is ammonia;
a pungent gas and toxic pollutant which wreaks havoc on local habitats. In Ireland, agriculture is responsible for 99% of all ammonia emissions, causing environmental destruction locally and globally. Pig farming contributes a significant portion of these emissions (approximately 8%) which damages ecosystems, in particular ecologically important sites like bogs and wetlands. Not only is ammonia destroying wild spaces in Ireland, but it
also causes negative impacts on human health, triggering respiratory issues and causing public health problems.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from pig farming are a significant driver of climate change. Nitrous oxide
is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 265 times greater than carbon dioxide. Agriculture produces over 90% of nitrous oxide emissions in Ireland, through synthetic fertilizers, animal excreta deposits, and manure management. Atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide have reached unprecedented levels. Methane is commonly associated with cows, but pig farming produces
so much planet-warming methane that Denmark’s government recently agreed to tax methane emissions from pigs. Methane’s contribution to global warming is estimated at 28 times that of carbon dioxide. Emissions from pig farming contribute to global warming, severe weather, drought, rising
sea levels, floods, species loss, starvation, disease, poverty and displacement.
Resources for Pig Feed
The growth and production of pigs and waste doesn’t appear out of thin air. A hidden cost of Irish pig farming is the alarming amount of land and resources required to produce vast quantities of pig feed.
Not only does the waste from pig farming emit greenhouse gases, but the animal feed used on
Irish farms is simultaneously killing forests. Industrial meat is the single biggest cause of deforestation globally. Feed for Irish farm animals causes horrific biodiversity loss. By clearing forests, destroying habitats, and using toxic pesticides
to grow feed, animal farming is contributing
to the extinction of thousands of species.
The environmental impact of pig farming must
also take into account pig feed ingredients, the energy inputs, and the transport of the feed.
Health Risks
Pollutants from pig farms can cause health risks in local areas due to poor air quality and water quality. Additionally, pig farming can spread swine pathogens and zoonotic disease. Manure is considered a high risk source of dangerous pathogens. These pathogens can be spread by direct contact or by air. With a large number of animals crammed into small spaces, pig farming risks increasing the spread of disease, both between animals and from animals to humans.
Impacts on Local Communities
Other environmental issues of pig farming include local disturbances, the spreading of heavy metals, pesticides, toxic substances, antibiotic resistant pathogens, water pollution by residues of pharmaceuticals, and excessive use of groundwater. Nearby areas affected by these issues are used as sacrifice zones. Although local communities can immediately detect the smells from pig farms,
the long term effects and the wider reaching ramifications often go unnoticed. In 2015, a pig farming company was found guilty of polluting river water in County Kerry. In 2022 a pig farming company in Wexford was convicted under the Air Pollution Act. In 2024 Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency prosecuted a Cork pig farmer for breaking laws that protect our environment. Frequently Irish pig farms are found to be in breach of environmental policy,
but still this industry continues to pollute.
International Impact
The issues mentioned above only scratch
the surface of the global impact of Irish pig farming. The EU is the world's top exporter of pig products, ahead of the United States, Canada and Brazil.
The export of pigs and pigmeat results in further greenhouse gas emissions. Irish pigmeat trade relies on unpredictable international markets. Bord Bia expects a decline in pig farming exports in 2025, and notes that tariffs could have the potential to greatly disadvantage the viability of this trade. Ireland’s focus on animal farming and exports simultaneously forces Ireland’s population to rely on importing essential foods like vegetables and grains from other countries. Enormous quantities of animal feed are imported for Irish farm animals. This is not a sustainable food system.
From the water in our rivers to the air in our lungs, Irish pig farming perpetuates a cycle of unsustainable and harmful practices. Although we can’t always see the pollution from pig farms in plain sight, the impact it has on plant life, animal life, and communities is real, horrifying, and must be addressed. It’s time for Ireland to rapidly transition to a just and sustainable food system. You can help achieve this by emailing this information to your local politicians, demanding a transition to a plant-based food system, spreading awareness in your community, and taking action with grassroots groups such as Animal Rebellion Ireland.
the environment?
The forced breeding, feeding and killing of pigs causes hidden environmental injustices locally and globally. Pig farming pollutes the water we drink, the air we breathe, and the habitats of wildlife, while also contributing to climate change. This is largely attributed to the spread of manure and waste,
but there are a number of pig farming processes which have a negative environmental impact. Ireland generates millions of tonnes of animal manure every year and our environment simply cannot cope with this amount of pollution. Additionally, pig farming causes local health risks, various greenhouse gas emissions, and unsustainable resource use.
Water Pollution
Pig farming causes surface water and groundwater pollution. The processes involved can leak nitrogen and phosphorus, causing excessive growth of algae
in water which damages ecosystems.
Local groundwater pollution can take years and even decades to disappear.
Ammonia Emissions
A key component of pig farm waste is ammonia;
a pungent gas and toxic pollutant which wreaks havoc on local habitats. In Ireland, agriculture is responsible for 99% of all ammonia emissions, causing environmental destruction locally and globally. Pig farming contributes a significant portion of these emissions (approximately 8%) which damages ecosystems, in particular ecologically important sites like bogs and wetlands. Not only is ammonia destroying wild spaces in Ireland, but it
also causes negative impacts on human health, triggering respiratory issues and causing public health problems.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions from pig farming are a significant driver of climate change. Nitrous oxide
is a potent greenhouse gas with a global warming potential 265 times greater than carbon dioxide. Agriculture produces over 90% of nitrous oxide emissions in Ireland, through synthetic fertilizers, animal excreta deposits, and manure management. Atmospheric concentrations of nitrous oxide have reached unprecedented levels. Methane is commonly associated with cows, but pig farming produces
so much planet-warming methane that Denmark’s government recently agreed to tax methane emissions from pigs. Methane’s contribution to global warming is estimated at 28 times that of carbon dioxide. Emissions from pig farming contribute to global warming, severe weather, drought, rising
sea levels, floods, species loss, starvation, disease, poverty and displacement.
Resources for Pig Feed
The growth and production of pigs and waste doesn’t appear out of thin air. A hidden cost of Irish pig farming is the alarming amount of land and resources required to produce vast quantities of pig feed.
Not only does the waste from pig farming emit greenhouse gases, but the animal feed used on
Irish farms is simultaneously killing forests. Industrial meat is the single biggest cause of deforestation globally. Feed for Irish farm animals causes horrific biodiversity loss. By clearing forests, destroying habitats, and using toxic pesticides
to grow feed, animal farming is contributing
to the extinction of thousands of species.
The environmental impact of pig farming must
also take into account pig feed ingredients, the energy inputs, and the transport of the feed.
Health Risks
Pollutants from pig farms can cause health risks in local areas due to poor air quality and water quality. Additionally, pig farming can spread swine pathogens and zoonotic disease. Manure is considered a high risk source of dangerous pathogens. These pathogens can be spread by direct contact or by air. With a large number of animals crammed into small spaces, pig farming risks increasing the spread of disease, both between animals and from animals to humans.
Impacts on Local Communities
Other environmental issues of pig farming include local disturbances, the spreading of heavy metals, pesticides, toxic substances, antibiotic resistant pathogens, water pollution by residues of pharmaceuticals, and excessive use of groundwater. Nearby areas affected by these issues are used as sacrifice zones. Although local communities can immediately detect the smells from pig farms,
the long term effects and the wider reaching ramifications often go unnoticed. In 2015, a pig farming company was found guilty of polluting river water in County Kerry. In 2022 a pig farming company in Wexford was convicted under the Air Pollution Act. In 2024 Ireland’s Environmental Protection Agency prosecuted a Cork pig farmer for breaking laws that protect our environment. Frequently Irish pig farms are found to be in breach of environmental policy,
but still this industry continues to pollute.
International Impact
The issues mentioned above only scratch
the surface of the global impact of Irish pig farming. The EU is the world's top exporter of pig products, ahead of the United States, Canada and Brazil.
The export of pigs and pigmeat results in further greenhouse gas emissions. Irish pigmeat trade relies on unpredictable international markets. Bord Bia expects a decline in pig farming exports in 2025, and notes that tariffs could have the potential to greatly disadvantage the viability of this trade. Ireland’s focus on animal farming and exports simultaneously forces Ireland’s population to rely on importing essential foods like vegetables and grains from other countries. Enormous quantities of animal feed are imported for Irish farm animals. This is not a sustainable food system.
What can we do?
From the water in our rivers to the air in our lungs, Irish pig farming perpetuates a cycle of unsustainable and harmful practices. Although we can’t always see the pollution from pig farms in plain sight, the impact it has on plant life, animal life, and communities is real, horrifying, and must be addressed. It’s time for Ireland to rapidly transition to a just and sustainable food system. You can help achieve this by emailing this information to your local politicians, demanding a transition to a plant-based food system, spreading awareness in your community, and taking action with grassroots groups such as Animal Rebellion Ireland.