Health Protection Agency confirms human health concerns regarding proposed mega pig farm in Derbyshire

31 October 2011

In what may be a fatal blow to the Midland Pig Producers’ planning application, the Health Protection Agency have raised strong concerns about the potential risk to public health of the proposed ‘mega pig farm’ for South Derbyshire.

Following thousands of letters from the public, Derbyshire County Council asked the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to submit evidence regarding the human health impacts of the proposed Foston ‘mega’ Pig farm, an indoor pig factory for 2,500 mother pigs (sows) and around 20,000 piglets, with 1,000 pigs going for slaughter each week. [1]

Expert advice given by the HPA confirms the detailed scientific review of evidence from around the world, which the Soil Association submitted to the council last year. The Soil Association objected to the proposal on the grounds that the extremely high number of pigs housed in one location may increase the level of disease on the holding and over time that may pose a threat to the health of the local community. [2]

The HPA said:
“Recent research has found that those living up to 150m downwind of an intensive swine [pig] farming installation could be at risk of adverse human health effects associated with exposure to multi- drug resistant organisms.”

It goes on to say:
“the application does not provide detailed analysis and risk assessment of potential point source and fugitive emissions to air, of odour; particulate matter; ammonia; bioaerosols; or emissions from the proposed CHP plant.” [3]

That is, the planning application for the pig farm does not give enough information about the risks to the public which could be caused by emissions from the site nor about the smell and other emissions from the proposed CHP plant.

Emma Hockridge, Soil Association head of policy said:
“We urge the South Derbyshire District Councillors to take this damning evidence from the HPA and the views of 13,000 members of the public who have opposed this development on board when discussing this issue at their meeting tomorrow. The opinion of the HPA backs up our original submission to the council which highlights the potential human health impacts of this development. There is still time for members of the public to make their voice heard on the planning   proposal. See the Soil Association website for further details.” [4]

Notes:

[1] The HPA was set up by the Government to provide independent, scientific advice to the NHS, local authorities and others. Read more here

[2] For full details of our evidence click here

[3] For the full submission by the HPA click here

[4] ‘Not in my Banger’
Sign up to the Soil Association’s ‘Not in my Banger’ campaign and find details of how to write to the council regarding this proposal. Read more here

Key points include:

• pig farming accounts for approximately 60% of all UK farm antibiotic use
• research shows that the levels of disease and the use of antibiotics both increase as pig farms get bigger
• larger herd size is linked with higher levels of many diseases in pigs, including some that can cause illness in people
• for certain bacteria, such as salmonella and campylobacter, most of the antibiotic resistance in human infections comes from farm-animal antibiotic use
• resistance to antibiotics can transfer between both animals and humans and this occurs more frequently, and with far greater ease, than was previously believed
• a number of very serious new types of antibiotic resistance have developed in recent years and several of these are increasing in farm animals
• C. difficile ‘superbug’ bacteria which has been found in hospitals is a growing problem in pigs worldwide, and the latest research shows that at least one strain of the pathogen is now present in British pigs
• there is growing evidence that C. difficile may be spreading from pig farms to humans through the environment
• there is concern about the risk of Pig MRSA spreading to the UK; it is now well established that people working with MRSA positive pigs, such as farmers, veterinarians, and even their family members, are at risk of colonisation and infection - there have also been a number of very serious cases and deaths
• there are real concerns that unless antibiotics are used much more sparingly we will soon find ourselves facing a range of serious diseases in humans and animals that can no longer be treated effectively.

About the Soil Association
The Soil Association was founded in 1946 by farmers, scientists, doctors and nutritionists to promote the connection between the health of the soil, food, people and the environment. Today the Soil Association is the UK's leading membership charity campaigning for healthy, humane and sustainable food, farming and land use. To find out more please visit our website: www.soilassociation.org