Studies on the re-usage of swine feces in the River Sangão Basin SC Brazil

Abstract

Current analysis investigates the situation of swine breeders in the region of the Rio Sangão Basin in the municipalities of Jaguaruna and Sangão vis-à-vis environmental legislation. Analysis also identifies how breeders store, treat and make available swine feces. Seven swine breeders of the region were interviewed. Investigation revealed that most do not have any environmental warrant and that they discharge feces on pastureland and agricultural land either on their lands or in neighboring ones. One of the factors which impairs swine production, besides the Permanent Preservation Areas (PPA) is the discharge of feces and excessive water and energy consumption. It has been reported that, although producers without environmental warrants desire to obtain them, the main difficulty are the infrastructure investments that the law requires. The study proposes the collection of feces in a single place so that they could be treated and transformed into other products such as energy, biogas or Carbon Credit projects. The swine feces sub-products may not only increase profit but may decrease impacts on the environment.