As part of Canada’s commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, researchers are attempting to reduce greenhouse gases and better manage odours emanating from farms. Geomembrane Technologies Inc. (GTI) of Fredericton, NB, in conjunction with Agriculture Canada, The Canadian Pork Council, Dairy Farmers of New Brunswick, equipment manufacturers including Bodco, Fabrene, and Pactin, has developed a phased-in approach with regard to the management of manure, the largest source of greenhouse gases in farming.
Claude DeGarie, an engineer at GTI, says: “In order for a solution to be feasible from a farmer’s perspective, the implementation of new technology must produce measurable benefits, and be an affordable solution. In the past, farmers may have wanted to implement odour control systems, but they were cost-prohibitive, or not practical, or both. This new system has proved to be easy to implement and is not overly expensive.”
GTI’s solution adds a permanent, hermetically sealed cover to existing holding tanks and lagoons as a first phase. Farmers immediately realize benefits from this first phase in the form of:
- Reduction in manure volumes due to the elimination of rainwater.
- Improvement in manure quality as a fertilizer by capturing more ammonia, resulting in a higher nitrogen content, which is beneficial to crops.
- Reduction in the need and expense of adding chemical nitrogen.
- Accumulation of greenhouse gas credits resulting from the combination of less ammonia escaping to the environment and less chemical nitrogen.
- Reduction in odours that can be a nuisance to adjacent landowners.
- Elimination of the presence of flies and insects.
Once a farmer has derived the benefits from the first phase, a digester system can be added. The additional benefits of the second phase are plentiful, including the generation of biogas, which can be converted to electricity and process heat for use on the farm, resulting in additional greenhouse gas credits to the farmer.
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A significant benefit of the digestion process is the elimination of e-coli and pathogens. The digested manure creates a product which is odourless and free of harmful bacteria. It can then be spread on land or sold as a soil enhancement, alleviating adjacent landowners concerns with odours or potential wellwater or stream contamination.
The first installation of this technology is at the Henderson farm in Irishtown, New Brunswick. The installation was completed on August 1, 2004, and has received favourable reviews from farmers who have visited the project site. The Henderson farm is already looking into adding a digester system to create their own electricity and process hot water for use on the farm. “The positive results are apparent. We like the idea of progressing to phase two and generating our own electricity,” states Scott Henderson.
Contact: Claude DeGarie, P.Eng., Geomembrane Technologies Inc., Tel: (506) 452-7304.