Background The pollution of rivers and lakes is one of the major environmental problems in Ireland. Over the past 25 years the national monitoring programme of the Environmental Protection Agency has shown that waterways in Ireland suffer from widespread, though moderate, eutrophication. Surveys have shown the agriculture sector to be the major contributor to this problem because of the run-off of nitrogen and phosphorus from land spreading of animal wastes and artificial fertiliser. All animal slurries in Ireland are disposed of on land. This is acceptable where soil and climate conditions are suitable and the slurry application rate is managed in accordance with nutrient management plans. In the northeast Ireland around Silver Hill Foods the land has a poor capacity for sustainable application of animal slurries. Unfavourable factors include the hilly nature of the land, the wet climate and the presence of numerous streams and lakes. Because the land is generally poor and conventional extensive farming is uneconomical, farmers in the region have focused on intensive rearing of livestock, particularly poultry and pigs. Thus the region with the lowest potential for assimilation of animal wastes on land has the highest level of intensive animal production and the greatest production of animal slurries. Soil surveys have shown that existing nutrient levels in farmland are already very high from years of overloading with animal manures. The levels of water contamination in rivers in the area are such that virtually no expansion of intensive agriculture is now permitted in this area. The local authority for the area, Monaghan County Council, has established a task force to address the problem of sustainable disposal of animal and other organic wastes in the county. The quantity of waste arising at Silver Hill Foods (around 70,000 tonnes per year) and the quantity of land required for sustainable application (more than 3,000 ha) are such that the disposal operations pose a threat to water quality over a large area. Most of the land utilised for this purpose is over the nearby border with the UK and within the catchment area of Lough Neagh. This lake serves as the source of drinking water for Belfast and a number of other cities in Northern Ireland. As the largest lake in Ireland, it is also very important as a fishery and for tourism and leisure. Thus the application of an alternative technology to farm slurry disposal will contribute to an environmental improvement in two countries. In addition, the long-term storage of animal slurries in anaerobic lagoons causes the release of large quantities of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. Ireland has signed the Kyoto Convention and because its greenhouse gas emissions are already above the required limits it must take firm action to reduce emissions below current levels. The widespread application of anaerobic digestion to farm wastes would make a valuable contribution to the goal of meeting national limits on greenhouse gases. Objectives The aims of the project were to: • Develop a sustainable, cost-effective mechanism for the processing of duck slurry into a solid fertiliser. • Eliminate the potential problem of diffuse water contamination from existing land spreading operations. • Demonstrate a full-scale working model of the application of new technology to the management of animal wastes. • Reduce the emissions of greenhouse gases from storage and transport of duck slurry and, indirectly, from manufacture of artificial fertiliser. • Improve relationships with Environmental Regulatory Authorities in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Results Silver Hill Foods, a large duck breeding and processing company in Ireland, produces approximately 3 million ducks a year and is responsible for the creation of 70-80,000 tons of duck slurry. Prior to the LIFE project, this waste was spread on agricultural land, with obvious implications on nitrate loading and leaching, and associated high transportation costs. The project developed and built a fully integrated plant that separates solid matter from liquid, allowing the production of dried fertiliser pellets. Furthermore, the slurry was first processed by anaerobic digestion, which facilitates the production of biogas. This gas can be used to heat and run the plant. The process has reduced the environmental impact of the large poultry production site. Another key result is the long-term sustainability of the process, which will reduce the cost of disposal of waste which severely inhibits the beneficiary’s competitiveness on a global market. It will lead to the creation of a marketable product that can generate revenue for the company and contribute to the sustained success of the beneficiary with alternative income streams, for example selling the slurry as a fertiliser. At the time of final report the plant has not yet been fully optimised, but the project has massive demonstration potential for a large range of industries. The project is also particularly significant from the point of view of the Nitrates Directive, which aims to protect watercourses throughout Europe. It has also stimulated thinking and awareness of waste management issues. Through the programme of dissemination and the many talks and speeches given in the UK and Ireland and through its website, the beneficiary has sought to encourage debate and ideas for innovation.