Factory farms across the country are contaminating rivers and underground drinking water sources with bacteria, nitrates, phosphorus, and pharmaceuticals. Unlike human waste, which must go to a wastewater treatment plant, factory farms can store waste outdoors and apply waste to farmland, where it can leach into groundwater or flush into nearby rivers and streams.
Factory farms are also bad for our air and climate. Mountains of manure from factory farms can release ammonia and potent greenhouse gases including methane and carbon dioxide. Studies also link factory farm pollution to haze and acid deposition in the Columbia River Gorge National Scenic Area.
