Why are odor controls needed?
The legislature called for odor controls in response to increasing complaints about animal operations, largely due to the expansion of the hog industry in Eastern North Carolina. The number of hogs in the state has increased by four-fold since 1990, mostly in the Coastal Plain. Odor problems also can be associated with other kinds of animal operations that are widespread in the state, including chickens, turkeys, and dairy cattle. However, the odor rules only deal with animal operations using wet waste disposal systems, such as lagoons and spray fields, which are largely confined to hog operations. What causes odors from animal operations? Objectionable livestock odors are often caused by animal wastes, but problems can be aggravated by improper handling of dust from barns and feed storage areas, and dead animals. Dust, in particular, can magnify the intensity of odors. Weather conditions also contribute to problems, with odors often more pronounced in the evening and early morning hou
