Agricultural Waste Management

Soil properties are important considerations in areas where soils are used as sites for the treatment and disposal of organic waste and wastewater. Selection of soils with properties that favor waste management can help to prevent environmental damage. Tables AWM-1 and AWM-2 show the degree and kind of soil limitations affecting the treatment of agricultural waste, including municipal and food-processing wastewater and effluent from lagoons or storage ponds. Municipal wastewater is the waste stream from a municipality. It contains domestic waste and may contain industrial waste. It may have received primary or secondary treatment. It is rarely untreated sewage. Food-processing wastewater results from the preparation of fruits, vegetables, milk, cheese, and meats for public consumption. In places it is high in content of sodium and chloride. In the context of these tables, the effluent in lagoons and storage ponds is from facilities used to treat or store food-processing wastewater or domestic or animal waste. Domestic and food-processing wastewater is very dilute, and the effluent from the facilities that treat or store it commonly is very low in content of carbonaceous and nitrogenous material; the content of nitrogen commonly ranges from 10 to 30 milligrams per liter. The wastewater from animal waste treatment lagoons or storage ponds, however, has much higher concentrations of these materials, mainly because the manure has not been diluted as much as the domestic waste. The content of nitrogen in this wastewater generally ranges from 50 to 2,000 milligrams per liter. When wastewater is applied, checks should be made to ensure that nitrogen, heavy metals, and salts are not added in excessive amounts. The ratings in the tables are for waste management systems that not only dispose of and treat organic waste or wastewater but also are beneficial to crops (application of manure and foodprocessing waste, application of sewage sludge, and disposal of wastewater by irrigation) and for waste management systems that are designed only for the purpose of wastewater disposal and treatment (overland flow of wastewater, rapid infiltration of wastewater, and slow rate treatment of wastewater). The ratings are both verbal and numerical. Rating class terms indicate the extent to which the soils are limited by all of the soil features that affect agricultural waste management. Not limited indicates that the soil has features that are very favorable for the specified use. Good performance and very low maintenance can be expected. Slightly limited indicates that the soil has features that are generally favorable for the specified use. The limitations are minor and can

be easily overcome. Good performance and low maintenance can be expected. Somewhat limited indicates that the soil has features that are moderately favorable for the specified use. The limitations can be overcome or minimized by special planning, design, or installation. Fair performance and moderate maintenance can be expected. Very limited indicates that the soil has one or more features that are unfavorable for the specified use. The limitations generally cannot be overcome without major soil reclamation, special design, or expensive installation procedures. Poor performance and high maintenance can be expected. Numerical ratings in the tables indicate the severity of individual limitations. The ratings are shown as decimal fractions ranging from 0.00 to 1.00. They indicate gradations between the point at which a soil feature has the greatest negative impact on the use (1.00) and the point at which the soil feature is not a limitation (0.00). Application of manure and food-processing waste not only disposes of waste material but also can improve crop production by increasing the supply of nutrients in the soils where the material is applied. Manure is the excrement of livestock and poultry, and food-processing waste is damaged fruit and vegetables and the peelings, stems, leaves, pits, and soil particles removed in food preparation. The manure and food-processing waste are either solid, slurry, or liquid. Their nitrogen content varies. A high content of nitrogen limits the application rate. Toxic or otherwise dangerous wastes, such as those mixed with the lye used in food processing, are not considered in the ratings.

Why be concerned about waste management?

If not managed properly, agricultural waste from farm operations can pollute the environment resulting in impacts to water quality and a general loss of aesthetics. The degradation of water quality can impact adjacent waterways and groundwater both onsite and offsite. This degradation reduces the ability of these resources to support aquatic life and water for human and animal consumption. Nitrates, which are commonly associated with fertilizers and agricultural waste runoff, can seep into groundwater. Well water contaminated with nitrates is hazardous to humans, particularly for infants, as it results in oxygen depletion in the blood. As alluded to above, proper waste management can reduce operating costs associated with fertilizer application if managed properly.

What are the benefits of waste management? How would one implement waste management? Fortunately, there are planning documents and BMP options available to farmers for managing agricultural waste. Waste management is commonly part of an overall nutrient management plan developed for a farm. These plans play an integral role in the comprehensive waste management planning process and are used to spell out how farmers intend to maximize the benefit of nutrients available from farm waste products to benefit crop production and minimize environmental impact. Although State and Federal governments are demanding more accountability in agricultural waste management, many such plans are developed voluntarily as an important aspect of the business. Developing a plan for how waste is managed on your farm not only aids in the tracking of operational costs and the making of better management decisions; it can also be used to leverage State and Federal funding assistance. Self-regulation protects private property rights and reduces the need for governmental control and regulations.

Site-specific waste management strategies should be developed and adhered to in order to maximize the cost efficiency and adequately protect local environmental resources. This will require that routine soil and waste testing take place to match the crop needs to the nutrients available. By tracking the timing and application rates (quantity) of agricultural waste required, the space required to store operational waste can be determined. Waste can be stored as a solid in building structures, or as a liquid in holding ponds or anaerobic lagoons. Being able to store waste in an acceptable form until it is needed is a critical component of a waste management strategy. If waste is not handled properly or is not applied at the right time, valuable nutrients are lost and environmental and human and animal health problems are created. Besides the management practices noted above, the BMPs listed below

A covered livestock feeding area located on an upland can be used to improve waste handling and section of pasture is one example of good waste application: management.

Avoid

over-application

by

only

applying manure to crops that can benefit from the nutrients;

Do not apply waste to fields when heavy rain is expected and runoff potential is high;

Exclude livestock from sensitive areas such as riparian buffers and wetlands; Locate winter feeding areas in a relatively flat upland area; Do not spread waste near waterways; Employ other conservation practices that minimize runoff and erosion to fields where waste is applied;

Avoid spillage or overflow of lagoons, ponds and structures used to house waste; Regularly check waste application equipment and make sure it is calibrated; Where possible, divert runoff from land above livestock areas and away from nearby surface waters and wells;

If an alternative water supply source is unavailable for livestock, create dedicated, limited access points to streams for drinking; and

Consider adding flush gutters to livestock confinement systems to confine waste for future application.

Other ways to improve waste management on farms is to routinely check areas where fuel and chemicals are stored for spills and leaks and to be sure your farm is in compliance with applicable storage and handling regulations. Keeping up-to-date on technologies designed to improve waste management such as composters for disposing of livestock mortalities and integrating them into your waste management strategy is also good practice.

What do the regulations mean for farmers? The basic options available to farmers, and which may be used in combination are to:-

Option 1 Store your waste, pending collection, on the site where it is produced for up to 12 months. You do not have to inform the Environment Agency that you are doing this. After this 12 month period you will have to recover or dispose of your waste using one of the other options below; or Option 2 Take the waste yourself for recovery or disposal off-farm at an appropriately licensed site. You will not have to register as a waste carrier to transport your own waste as an incidental part of your business as a farmer; (NB. the County Council's network of household waste recovery centres are NOT licensed for agricultural waste) or Option 3 Transfer your waste to someone else for recovery or disposal off-farm at an appropriately licensed site. There are waste management companies who can visit your farm to do this. They must be registered with the Environment Agency to carry your waste. Option 4 Register a license exemption with the Environment Agency to recover or dispose of your waste on-farm; or Option 5 Apply to the Environment Agency for a waste management license or a landfill permit to recover or dispose of your waste on-farm. Disposal of wastewater by irrigation not only disposes of municipal wastewater and wastewater from food-processing plants, lagoons, and storage ponds but also can improve crop production by increasing the amount of water available to crops. The ratings in the table are based on the soil properties that affect the design, construction, management, and performance of the irrigation system. The properties that affect design and management include the sodium adsorption ratio, depth to a water table, ponding, available water capacity, permeability, slope, and flooding. The properties that affect construction include stones, cobbles, depth to bedrock or a cemented pan, depth to a water table, and ponding. The properties that affect performance include depth to bedrock or a cemented pan, bulk density, the sodium adsorption ratio, salinity, reaction, and the cation-exchange capacity, which is used to estimate the capacity of a soil to

adsorb heavy metals. Permanently frozen soils are not suitable for disposal of wastewater by irrigation. Overland flow of wastewater is a process in which wastewater is applied to the upper reaches of sloped land and allowed to flow across vegetated surfaces, sometimes called terraces, to runoffcollection ditches. The length of the run generally is 150 to 300 feet. The application rate ranges from 2.5 to 16.0 inches per week. It commonly exceeds the rate needed for irrigation of cropland. The wastewater leaves solids and nutrients on the vegetated surfaces as it flows downslope in a thin film. Most of the water reaches the collection ditch, some is lost through evapotranspiration, and a small amount may percolate to the ground water. The ratings in the table are based on the soil properties that affect absorption, plant growth, microbial activity, and the design and construction of the system. Reaction and the cationexchange capacity affect absorption. Reaction, salinity, and the sodium adsorption ratio affect plant growth and microbial activity. Slope, permeability, depth to a water table, ponding, flooding, depth to bedrock or a cemented pan, stones, and cobbles affect design and construction. Permanently frozen soils are unsuitable for waste treatment. Rapid infiltration of wastewater is a process in which wastewater applied in a level basin at a rate of 4 to 120 inches per week percolates through the soil. The wastewater may eventually reach the ground water. The application rate commonly exceeds the rate needed for irrigation of cropland. Vegetation is not a necessary part of the treatment; hence, the basins may or may not be vegetated. The thickness of the soil material needed for proper treatment of the wastewater is more than 72 inches. As a result, geologic and hydrologic investigation is needed to ensure proper design and performance and to determine the risk of ground-water pollution. The ratings in the table are based on the soil properties that affect the risk of pollution and the design, construction, and performance of the system. Depth to a water table, ponding, flooding, and depth to bedrock or a cemented pan affect the risk of pollution and the design and construction of the system. Slope, stones, and cobbles also affect design and construction. Permeability and reaction affect performance. Permanently frozen soils are unsuitable for waste treatment. Slow rate treatment of wastewater is a process in which wastewater is applied to land at a rate normally between 0.5 inch and 4.0 inches per week. The application rate commonly exceeds the rate needed for irrigation of cropland. The applied wastewater is treated as it moves through the

soil. Much of the treated water may percolate to the ground water, and some enters the atmosphere through evapotranspiration. The applied water generally is not allowed to run off the surface. Waterlogging is prevented either through control of the application rate or through the use of tile drains, or both. The ratings in the table are based on the soil properties that affect absorption, plant growth, microbial activity, erodibility, and the application of waste. The properties that affect absorption include the sodium adsorption ratio, depth to a water table, ponding, available water capacity, permeability, depth to bedrock or a cemented pan, reaction, the cation-exchange capacity, and slope. Reaction, the sodium adsorption ratio, salinity, and bulk density affect plant growth and microbial activity. The wind erodibility group, the soil erodibility factor K, and slope are considered in estimating the likelihood of wind erosion or water erosion. Stones, cobbles, a water table, ponding, and flooding can hinder the application of waste. Permanently frozen soils are unsuitable for waste treatment.

Hazardous Effects of Landfills Landfills are usually designed to dispose solid and degradable waste matter by burying it under the soil. Therefore, the land area is first dug up deep enough to accumulate the garbage, the waste is poured into the ditch and is covered with layers of soil. This process of disposing solid waste is however, supposed to be done carefully, to make sure there are no hazards caused due to products of disposal. But many a time, with so much garbage that has to be disposed, there is lack of management, resulting in harmful effects of landfills.They are:

Release of Landfill Gas Every landfill has a particular capacity of waste that it can accommodate, after which it is supposed to be closed. When the landfill is closed or capped, the entry of moisture or water is shunted thus keeping it away from excessive decomposition. However, the waste present inside the landfill already contains some amount of moisture which combines with other solid waste and starts degrading, releasing various types of gases. These landfill ages mainly include, methane and carbon dioxide, which give out a rotting odor. Since, the solid waste may also

contain some toxic chemicals, the gases vaporize through the soil into the open and mix with the surrounding air.

Production of Leachate Since garbage is disposed under the soil, there are risks of harmful chemicals combining with the ground water. Leachate is a toxic liquid that is produced when water or moisture gets mixed with the solid waste. When the rainwater falls on the soil, it seeps into the ground and can come in contact with the solid waste thus giving rise to leachate. Now, if there is a groundwater stream that comes in contact with this leachate, it is contaminated for use. To avoid the production of this toxic liquid, landfills should be covered with waterproof materials.

Greenhouse Effect The greenhouse effect is defined as, sudden temperature elevations that occur because of unstable weather conditions. When landfills are left open or without the cap (cover to protect the rainwater from seeping in), there can be various harmful gases, such as; methane and carbon dioxide that are produced excessively. When the level of these gases increases, they interfere with the temperatures of the environment making the air warmer. This increase in temperature further makes the ice caps in the polar regions melt, and raises the sea level, disturbing the entire weather clock. Now aren't greenhouse effect and global warming, harmful effects of open and unmaintained landfills? Waste Disposal Methods From time immemorial, waste disposable has been a problem, and after industrialization the problem has only compounded. In the past, trash was carried to the outskirts of cities and discarded in the open, but now that can no longer be done. Over time, various waste disposal methods have been devised, like compost, burning, landfill, biological reprocessing, etc. However, before going to these details, we need to understand the different kinds of wastes. There are basically three types of wastes generated - solid waste, liquid waste and sludge. They are classified as per their chemical, biological and physical characteristics.

Solid wastes include materials like mining wastes and industrial wastes besides household garbage. On the other hand, liquid wastes are those in which the composition of solids is less than 1% and there is a high concentration of metals and salts, while sludge contains a mixture of solid and water. Once you have got an idea of what is waste disposal, let's get onto the various methods of disposing wastes.

Solid Waste Disposal Methods For disposing solid wastes, you can adopt a number of methods like compost, landfill and burning. Let's take a look at each of them:

Compost You can create a compost in your own house, especially to dispose off organic wastes. Ideally this should be in everyone's homes as there are a lot of wastes like branches and leaves which can be disposed off. More importantly compost is beneficial for the environment as unnecessary refuse is not dumped into a landfill. Methane is created by organic matter if you put them in a landfills, which in turn adds to the greenhouse gases thereby causing global warming. Rather than throwing away leaves and other household organic matter if you use them as compost, soil is replenished thereby reducing cost of land reclamation.

Landfill If you can't recycle non-hazardous wastes, the alternative you have is a landfill, a relatively cheap option. However, any open area won't do, there are certain guidelines and they should be properly monitored and maintained. A landfill must have a lining to so as to shield it from water seeping into the landfill thereby making water poisonous and unfit for consumption.

Burning Even though landfills is a cheap option which you may use if large amounts of trash is collected, burning provides an alternative through which the volume can be quickly reduced. Environment friendly burning method does not just burn all trash lying around, but uses filters and scrubbers so that poisonous and acidic gases are not released into the atmosphere. Moreover, this method prevents ash from being released into the atmosphere.

Hazardous Waste Disposal Methods Some of the most common hazardous waste disposable methods include incineration, bioremediation, injection wells and landfills. However, disposal of hazardous wastes in landfills and injection wells has its own concerns, especially leaking of toxins into surrounding groundwater. A major source of drinking water is groundwater and if that becomes contaminated, it becomes extremely costly to purify them. Ideally, hazardous substances should be converted into non-hazardous form. There are several new technologies like high-temperature plasma torch which have come up and can convert hazardous wastes like low-level radioactive wastes to glass which are environmentally safe. But then even though these methods are costly, they are worth it.

Hazardous wastes are also disposed off in landfills and there are strict regulations which one should follow. The landfills should be lined with groundwater barriers, monitoring wells and clay liners. Incineration method is also used to dispose off hazardous wastes, wherein these refuse is changed into inorganic by-products, water and carbon dioxide. However, the costs associated with burning hazardous wastes is high besides difficulty in disposal of wastes.

Bioremediation is another process which is used to dispose off hazardous wastes and convert them into nontoxic products. The process includes the use of natural degradation processes and microorganisms. However, this process requires a long time and at times it becomes difficult to control the process of natural degradation. You may like to know more on hazardous waste receptacle.

Some of the other methods of waste disposal include energy recovery, wherein waste is recycled and is used as fuel to heat cook and power turbines and ocean dumping, wherein wastes are dumped into the oceans where creatures living in the sea consumes them. However, this is a controversial method and the harmful aftereffects far outweigh its benefits.

Thus, there are numerous waste disposal methods of which landfills and burning are the most common. We should all try to minimize the amount of wastes we produce every day so that we

don't exert pressure on the environment. Moreover, the costs associated with disposing off wastes are all our money, so the lesser wastes we produce, the better. Biodegradable

Vegetable waste being dumped in a market in Hyderabad The word "compost" it simply means the decomposition of biodegradable materials. In agriculture,particularly organic farming, farmers utilize their green waste for composting whereby they use as manure for their crop.There are different types of composting, which includes aerobic composting, vermi-compost and heap compost.In Bhutan most of the farmers prefer heap compost which doesn't cost much for the preparation as it can be easily made with locally available material.However with the increase of the population, the generation of waste had been very high and there is high risk of pollution and harmful effect to human being and environment.Therefore in order to utilize the agriculture waste, National Organic program had started a project with collaboration with Thimphu city corporation to utilize the green waste generated from centenary farmer's market.The management of the waste from the new Centennial Farmers Market has been an essential component of the Market facilities utilization for the MOA and Thimphu City Corporation. It is clear that the management of waste from the city is a problem that all should be concerned about and TCC alone cannot solve the problem. All citizens could help by being a little more caring and responsible in their disposal of wastes. However, the limitation of the TCC facilities in collection of wastes from various locations and appropriate management of the collected waste is a constraint in efficient collection and proper disposal. Due to these difficulties coupled with poor awareness and civic sense of the citizens, TCCs service although far reaching needs assistance from other fronts.A huge composting facility was constructed with DANIDA funds and completed in 2004, The facilities include a

shed for sorting of wastes which is connected to a chute to pass the waste to the composting structure where a shredder is located at the entrance which leads to composting cubicles which are equipped with aeration facilities with blowers. A control room has the engines that control the operations such as sensing temperatures. The National Organic Programme of DOA, MOA and Thimphu City Corporation made the first heap of compost from the fruit and vegetable wastes collected from the Centennial Farmers Market in an effort to take responsibility of the waste generated from agriculture.

On the 25th May, 09 an awareness programme was conducted by the NOP for over 150 vendors and retailers at the CFM while awareness infomercial was aired on BBS and banners hung around the market to remind buyers and sellers alike to share in the waste segregation by sorting at source. Separate stickers for fruit and vegetable wastes, and for plastics and others were provided to be stuck on each bin all provided by MOA through DNRM project. With the TCCs help in collection and transport of the biodegradable wastes to the composting site at Serbithang, National Organic Programme started making compost heaps which will be now carried out continuously to manage all the fruit and vegetable wastes generated from the CFM. The techniques used here is the low tech aerobic composting that seals in the heat and moisture and prevents foul odour around the heap. The compost is ready to be sold in the market and it is looked after by the TCC.

WASTE PREVENTION Purchase items with recycled-content or refurbished parts. Pay attention to items used regularly like crates, cartons, bags, Gaylords and Gaylord liners, office and janitorial supplies. Many European and domestic plastics manufacturers are offering recycled-content crates. Ask vendors what they carry. Use re-refined petroleum products. These products are less harmful for the environment. Investigate using lube and hydraulic oils made from rapeseed oil and 100% vegetable oil; these products are often made in Sweden for the forest industry. They are biodegradable, nontoxic and have a higher rating for temperature and viscosity than petroleum products. Use food by-products as an animal feed (check with local authorities to see if a permit is required). Arrange for cooperative buying whenever possible. Request recycled-content corrugated cardboard that delivers excellent wet strength performance. Often packaging products with higher recycled content arent as white, however purchasing them helps to assure that there will be a market for the cardboard that you recycle! Evaluate your bottling operations for opportunities to reduce bottle waste. Incorporate waste reduction into the planning process for special projects: Minimize discards from construction and demolition; plan to reuse materials and provide extra container capacity for recycling. If you use catering services, you may be able to negotiate a discount for using your own dishes. Encourage caterers to serve family-style in reusable serving dishes.

RECYCLING Common Recycled Content Products Bulb crates Flower cartons Check-out bags Consumer goods Gaylord totes Gaylord liners Janitorial supplies Lubrication Hydraulic oils Packaging Product packaging

On-site Recycling Create a recycling system for material you want to collect. Establish collection areas, methods of transport, and times to pick up. Just as you have a recycling bin for your office paper indoors, think about the logistics for collecting items like flower trays or hydraulic oils. Paper, glass, metals, wood, fiber barrels, used automotive oil, oil filters and packaging can all be recycled or reused.

COMPOSTING Contact your waste hauler about collection service for food scraps, food-solid paper, and yard debris that can be commercially composted. There are other options that an organization can look into other than large-scale commercial composting, here are a few: Haul vegetative matter to a local farmer to be incorporated into small-scale composting.

On-site composting often is feasible and less costly than alternatives, depending on quantity and other logistics. Compost all organic wastes and use in landscaping

AGRICULTURAL WASTES: Modern agricultural techniques have increased.The production of grains to a large extent, but have also resulted in increase of agricultural wastes such as crop resedue,fertilizers,insecticides and sediments. i)Organic Fertilizers:These are natural fertilizer that are made from natural things using different methods. These things includes organic wastes such as animals excreta,plant wastes and so on.They are biodegradable. ii)Chemical fertilizers:These are made up of chemical and are produce in the factories. Plant use only 60% of chemical fertilizers that are added to the soil. The rest remains in the soil and gets washed away by water. iii)Pesticides:These are the chemicals that are used to kill the pests that harm crops. These pesticides get waste away by rain water and enter various water bodies. Such water when consumed causes various disorders like irritation in the eyes,fatigue,dizziness etc. The harmful effects get multiplied once the pesticides enter the bodies at the living beings through the food chains.

Reuse of Wastewater for Agriculture In rural and peri-urban areas of most developing countries, the use of sewage and wastewater for irrigation is a common practice. Wastewater is often the only source of water for irrigation in these areas. Even in areas where other water sources exist, small farmers often prefer wastewater because its high nutrient content reduces or even eliminates the need for expensive chemical fertilizers. Concern for human health and the environment are the most important constraints in the reuse of wastewater. While the risks do need to be carefully considered, the importance of this practice for the livelihoods of countless smallholders must also be taken into account. The aim of IWMI research on wastewater irrigation is to maximize the benefits to the poor who depend on the resource while minimizing the risks. Wastewater irrigation provides income for small farmers Many wastewater irrigators are not landowning farmers, but landless people that rent small plots to produce income-generating crops such as vegetables that thrive when watered with nutrientrich sewage. Across Asia, Africa and Latin America these wastewater micro-economies support countless poor people. Stopping or over-regulating these practices could remove the only income many landless people have. Is wastewater treatment the best option? Affluent countries regard wastewater treatment as vital to protect human health and prevent the contamination of lakes and rivers. But for most developing countries this solution is prohibitively expensive. In this case, applying wastewater to agricultural lands is a more economical alternativeand more ecologically sound than uncontrolled dumping of municipal and industrial effluents into lakes and streams.

How do we make this widespread practice safer for people and environment? Obviously the short-term benefits of wastewater irrigation could be offset by the health and environmental impacts. The first step is to scientifically evaluate these. Once the actual risks are clear, we can work to reduce them. This means, for example, finding affordable ways of monitoring the presence of harmful contaminants in wastewater, such as heavy metals that can accrue in soil and crops. It means looking at farming practices and crops grown to find ways of minimizing risks of infection for farmers and consumers. IWMI's research in Pakistan, Ghana, Vietnam and Mexico examines both positive and negative impacts of wastewater reuse for agriculture. This work will result in tools and concepts that can help policy makers and planners balance the needs of small farmers with the health of people and the environment. Agricultural wastewater treatment

Riparian buffer lining a creek in Iowa Agricultural wastewater treatment relates to the treatment of wastewaters produced in the course of agricultural activities. Agriculture is a highly intensified industry in many parts of the

world, producing a range of wastewaters requiring a variety of treatment technologies and management practices. Nutrient runoff

Manure spreader Nitrogen and phosphorus are key pollutants found in runoff, and they are applied to farmland in several ways:

commercial fertilizer animal manure municipal or industrial wastewater (effluent) or sludge.

These chemicals may also enter runoff from crop residues, irrigation water, wildlife, and atmospheric deposition. Farmers can develop and implement nutrient management plans to mitigate impacts on water quality:

map and document fields, crop types, soil types, water bodies develop realistic crop yield projections conduct soil tests and nutrient analyses of manures and/or sludges applied identify other significant nutrient sources (e.g. irrigation water) evaluate significant field features such as highly erodible soils, subsurface drains, and shallow aquifers

apply fertilizers, manures, and/or sludges based on realistic yield goals and using precision agriculture techniques.

Pesticides

Aerial application (crop dusting) of pesticides over a soybean field in the U.S. Pesticides are widely used by farmers to control plant pests and enhance production, but chemical pesticides can also cause water quality problems. Pesticides may appear in surface water due to:

direct application (e.g. aerial spraying or broadcasting over water bodies) runoff during rain storms aerial drift (from adjacent fields).

Some pesticides have also been detected in groundwater. Farmers may use Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques (which can include biological pest control) to maintain control over pests, reduce reliance on chemical pesticides, and protect water quality. There are few safe ways of disposing of pesticide surpluses other than through containment in well managed landfills or by incineration. In some parts of the world, spraying on land is a permitted method of disposa

Treatment Whilst solid manure heaps outdoors can give rise to polluting wastewaters from runoff, this type of waste is usually relatively easy to treat by containment and/or covering of the heap. Animal slurries require special handling and are usually treated by containment in lagoons before disposal by spray or trickle application to grassland. Constructed wetlands are sometimes used to facilitate treatment of animal wastes, as are anaerobic lagoons. Excessive application or application to sodden land or insufficient land area can result in direct runoff to watercourses, with the potential for causing severe pollution. Application of slurries to land overlying aquifers can result in direct contamination or, more commonly, elevation of nitrogen levels as nitrite or nitrate. The disposal of any wastewater containing animal waste upstream of a drinking water intake can pose serious health problems to those drinking the water because of the highly resistant spores present in many animals that are capable of causing disabling disease in humans. This risk exists even for very low-level seepage via shallow surface drains or from rainfall run-off. Some animal slurries are treated by mixing with straws and composted at high temperature to produce a bacteriologically sterile and friable manure for soil improvement.

References
a b

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Washington, DC. "Protecting Water

Quality from Agricultural Runoff." March 2005. Document No. EPA 841-F-05-001. ^ U.S. Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS). Fort Worth, TX. National Conservation Practice Standard: Contour Farming." Code 330. June 2007. ^ NRCS. National Conservation Practice Standard: Mulching." Code 484. September 2008.
a b c d e

EPA. "National Management Measures to Control Nonpoint Source Pollution from

Agriculture." July 2003. Document No. EPA-841-B-03-004. ^ NRCS. "National Conservation Practice Standard: Nutrient Management." Code 590. August 2006.