Overview
Livestock operations can produce airborne emissions such as ammonia, dust and odour. Once airborne, these can have undesirable impacts on the health or well-being of humans (for example, farmers, farm workers, neighbours or nearby communities), ecosystems (for example, native plants and animals, water quality), or both.
Alberta government, livestock farmers, rural municipalities and other stakeholders work together to develop and enhance sustainable beneficial management practices (BMPs) farmers can use to protect the environment. Some of these BMPs are designed to minimize airborne emissions from livestock operations.
Resources
The resources listed here provide a starting point for Alberta farmers planning to reduce airborne emissions.
Ammonia
- Ammonia and Particulate Matter Emissions Inventory for Confined Feeding Operations in Alberta, 3rd Edition (report)
- Ammonia and Particulate Matter Emissions Inventory for Confined Feeding Operations in Alberta, 1st and 2nd Edition (report)
- Ammonia Volatilization from Manure Application (fact sheet)
- Ammonia Emissions from Confined Feeding Operations (CFOs): Control and Mitigation (fact sheet)
- Ammonia Emissions Estimator (online tool)
- Ammonia Losses from Liquid Manure Applications Calculator (online tool)
- Ammonia Emissions and Safety (fact sheet)
Dust
- Dust Control for Livestock Buildings (fact sheet)
- Managing Feedlot Pen Dust (fact sheet)
- Respiratory Protection for Producers (fact sheet)
Odour
- Odour and Air Quality: Science to Social Issues (report)
- Odour Management Plan for Alberta Livestock Producers (guidelines)
- Good Practices Guide for Odour Management in Alberta (guidelines)
Other resources
- Recommendations to Reduce Non-Point Source Air Emissions in Alberta (report)
- A Review of Beneficial Management Practices for Managing Undesirable Air Emissions from Confined Feeding Operations (report)
- Ambient Air Quality Measurement Around Confined Feeding Operations in Alberta (report)
- Shelterbelts for Livestock Farms in Alberta: Overview (guidelines)
- Shelterbelts for Livestock Farms in Alberta: Planning, Planting and Maintenance (guidelines)
- Shelterbelts for Livestock Farms in Alberta: Shelterbelt Planning Workbook (guidelines)
- Evaluating Livestock Housing Environments: Principles of Measuring Indoor Air Quality (guidelines)
- Evaluating Livestock Housing Environments: Instruments for Measuring Indoor Air Quality (guidelines)
- Evaluating Livestock Housing Environments: Optimizing Ventilation System Performance (fact sheet)
- Hydrogen Sulphide Gas Safety (fact sheet)
- Methane (CH4) Safety (fact sheet)
- Agricultural Air Emission Inventory for Alberta (report)
Contact 310-FARM
Hours: 8:15 am to 4:30 pm (open Monday to Friday, closed statutory holidays)
Toll free: 310-FARM (3276) (in Alberta)
Phone: 403-742-7901 (outside Alberta)
Email: [email protected]