EU focus on intensive livestock farming widens in revamped emissions directive

Since last Sunday, the EU has in force this remodelling of a directive dating from 2010 and which has been subject to a thorough review, in which other areas such as mining are also the subject of special analysis. In the text of the norm, it is made clear that greater control of intensive livestock activity is necessary to "deal with" pollution from some agro-industrial activities. In its justification, both the European Parliament and the Council assure that livestock breeding causes the release of "significant" polluting emissions" and cites ammonia, methane, nitrates and greenhouse gases. Therefore, the reform reduces the threshold from which pig and poultry breeding facilities are subject to control. As an example, control is now required for farms with more than 1,200 breeding pigs compared to the 2,000 livestock units required in the 2010 norm; or 700 mother sows compared to the previous 750. Criticism from Spain In countries like Spain, this directive has been criticized ...