Health Protection Agency confirms human health concerns over 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.
Expert advice given by the HPA confirms the detailed scientific review of evidence from around the world, submitted by the Soil Association 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.
A statement by the HPA echoed these concerns and asserted that “recent research has found that those living up to 150m downwind of an intensive swine farming installation could be at risk of adverse human health effects associated with exposure to multi- drug resistant organisms.” Regarding the proposal for Foston, the HPA said they believe that "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.”
In other words, 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 - urged 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."
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