Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Modeling the contribution of pig farming to pollution of the Thachin River

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rapid growth of the livestock production sector in South-East Asia during recent decades has led to a widespread degradation of ground and surface waters. The Thachin River Basin in Central Thailand serves as a case study for investigating the origins and pathways of nutrient loads produced by intensive pig farming. A mathematical material flow analysis is used to identify key nitrogen flows and the main parameters determining them. Scenarios of the potential for reducing these flows and achieving compliance with current discharge regulations are investigated. The results show that liquid waste discharged from large pig farms and directly discharged waste from small farms are the key nitrogen flows to the river system. The key driving forces are not only the treatment coverage and efficiencies but also the rate of reuse and recycling of the treated product.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Baccini P, Bader H-P (1996) Regionaler Stoffhaushalt. Erfassung, Bewertung und Steuerung. Spektrum Akademischer Verlag, Heidelberg

    Google Scholar 

  • Baccini P, Brunner PH (1991) Metabolism of the anthroposphere. Springer, New York

    Google Scholar 

  • Badayos R, Dorado M (2004) Environmental baseline study (EBS): nutrients migration to South China Sea. World Bank/GEF

  • Bader H-P, Scheidegger R, Real M (2006) Global renewable energies: a dynamic study of implementation time, greenhouse gas emissions and financial needs. Clean Technol Environ Policy 8(3):159–173

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bieri F (2005) Water quality assessment and analysis in Thachin River Basin, Thailand. Masters Thesis, University of Bern

  • Binder C, Schertenleib R, Diaz J, Bader H-P, Baccini P (1997) Regional water balance as a tool for water management in developing countries. Int J Water Resour Dev 13(1):5–20

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunner PH, Daxbeck H, Henseler G, von Steiger B, Beer B, Piepke G (1990) RESUB - der Regionale Stoffhaushalt im Unteren Bünztal: die Entwicklung einer Methodik zur Erfassung des regionalen Stoffhaushaltes. EAWAG, Dübendorf

    Google Scholar 

  • Cheng J, Shearin TE, Peet MM, Willits DH (2004) Utilization of treated swine wastewater for greenhouse tomato production. Water Sci Technol 50(2):77–82

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • DLD (2004) Effect of piggery farms to Thachin River (in Thai). Department of Livestock Development, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • DLD, FAO (2004) Area wide integration (AWI) of specialised crop and livestock activities. Department of Livestock Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bangkok

  • DLD, PCD (2002) Plan and procedure for pig farm wastewater management in Thachin and Maeklong River Basins (in Thai). Department of Livestock Development and Pollution Control Department, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • FAO, DLD (2002) Policy implications of area-wide integration (AWI) of specialized crop and livestock activities: identification of technology and policy options in Eastern Thailand. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and Department of Livestock Development/Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Gerber P (2006) Putting pigs in their place, environmental policies for intensive livestock production in rapidly growing economies, with reference to pig farming in Central Thailand. PhD Thesis, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich

  • Gerber P, Steinfeld H (2006) Regional planning or pollution control? Policy options addressing livestock waste, with reference to industrial pig production in Thailand. In: Gerber P (2006) Putting pigs in their place, environmental policies for intensive livestock production in rapidly growing economies, with reference to pig farming in Central Thailand. PhD Thesis, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Zurich

  • Gerber P, Chilonda P, Franceschini G, Menzi H (2004) Geographical determinants and environmental implications of livestock production intensification in Asia. Bioresour Technol 96(6):263–276

    Google Scholar 

  • Huang D-B, Bader H-P, Scheidegger R, Schertenleib R, Gujer W (2007) Confronting limitations: new solutions required in urban water management of a Chinese mega-city. J Environ Manage 84(1):49–61

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jönsson H, Vinneras B (2003) Adapting the nutrient content of urine and faeces in different countries using FAO and Swedish data. In: Proceedings from the 2nd international symposium on ecological sanitation, Luebeck, Germany

  • Kasetsart University, IRD (1996) Agricultural and irrigation patterns in the Central Plain of Thailand: preliminary analysis and prospects for agricultural development. Kasetsart University, DORAS Centre, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Kwanmeung S (2002) Geographic information system for assessing land and subsurface water sensitivity to nitrate and phosphate contamination from swine farms in Muang District, Nakhon Pathom Province. Masters Thesis, Mahidol University, Bangkok

  • Kwonpongsagoon S, Bader H-P, Scheidegger R (2007) Modelling cadmium flows in Australia on the basis of a Substance Flow Analysis. Clean Technol Environ Policy 9(4):313–323

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lampert C, Brunner PH (1999) Materials accounting as a policy tool for nutrient management in the Danube basin. Water Sci Technol 40(10):43–49

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • LDD (1989) Soil map scale 1:50’000. Department of Land Development, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzi H (2005) Need and implications of good manure and nutrient management in extensive livestock production in developing countries. In: Livestock waste management in East Asia project preparation Report. FAO, Rome

  • Menzi H, Ruettimann L, Gerber P (2002) NuFlux-AWI: a calculation model to quantify nutrient fluxes and balances of intensive livestock production in developing countries. In: Proceedings from the 10th international conference of the RAMIRAN network, High Tatras, Slovak Republic

  • Mittal GS (2006) Treatment of wastewater from abattoirs before land application—a review. Bioresour Technol 97(9):1119–1135

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moral R, Perez-Murcia MD, Perez-Espinosa A, Moreno-Caselles J, Paredes C (2005) Estimation of nutrient values of pig slurries in Southeast Spain using easily determined properties. Waste Manage 25(7):719–725

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MOSTE (1996) Notification of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, No. 3, 4 (1996), issued under the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act (1992), published in the Royal Government Gazette, vol 113, Part 13 D, dated February 13, 1996. Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Bangkok

  • MOSTE (2001) Notification of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, issued under the Enhancement and Conservation of National Environmental Quality Act (1992), published in the Royal Government Gazette, vol 118, Special Part 8, dated February 23, 2001. Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Bangkok

  • Murto M, Bjornsson L, Mattiasson B (2004) Impact of food industrial waste on anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and pig manure. J Environ Manage 70(2):101–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (2002) Thailand State of the environment report 2002: executive summary. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • PCD (1995) GIS database for Thachin River Basin. Pollution Control Department of Thailand, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • PCD, Environmental Consultant (2004) Project to improve the water quality of industrial waste water in Thachin River Basin (in Thai). Pollution Control Department, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • PCD, Pro-En Technologies (2002) Assessment of water reservoir’s capacity in coping with pollution generated from trivial activities in conservative area—executive summary. Pollution Control Department, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • PCD, Thailand Environment Foundation, Montgomery Watson Asia, Coastal Consultancy International Pty Ltd. (1997) Development of an action plan to improve water quality in the Central River Basin, Thailand. Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Pfister F, Bader H-P, Scheidegger R, Baccini P (2005) Dynamic modelling of resource management for farming systems. Agric Syst 86(1):1–28

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Portejoie S, Gerber P, Steinfeld H, Junelamate W, Liang JB, Salazar F, Salazar GG (2003) Manure management decision support tool. Process, design, references. AWI, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Rattanarajcharkul R, Rucha W, Sommer S, Menzi H (2000) Area-wide integration of specialised livestock and crop production in Eastern Thailand. In: Proceedings from the conference of the FAO/ESCORENA network on recycling agricultural, municipal and industrial residues in agriculture (RAMIRAN), Gargnano, Italy

  • Reinhardt M, Müller B, Gächter R, Wehrli B (2006) Nitrogen removal in a small constructed wetland: an isotope mass balance approach. Environ Sci Technol 40:3313–3319

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sarikaya HZ, Sevimli MF, Citil E (1999) Region-wide assessment of the land-based sources of pollution of the black sea. Water Sci Technol 39(8):193–200

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schaffner M (2007) Applying a material flow analysis model to assess river water pollution and mitigation potentials—a case study in the Thachin River Basin, Central Thailand. PhD Thesis, University of Bern. http://www.north-south.unibe.ch/content.php/publication/id/2093

  • Schaffner M, Koottatep T, Bader H-P, Montangero A, Scheidegger R, Schertenleib R (2005) Assessment of water quality problems and mitigation potentials by using material flow analysis—a case-study in the Tha Chin River Basin, Thailand. In: Proceedings from the international symposium on the role of water sciences in transboundary river basin management, Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand

  • Schaffner M, Bader H-P, Scheidegger R (2009) Modeling the contribution of point sources and non-point sources to Thachin River water pollution. Sci Total Environ 407(2009):4902–4915

    Google Scholar 

  • Scotford IM, Cumby TR, White RP, Carton OT, Lorenz F, Hatterman U, Provolo G (1998) Estimation of the nutrient value of agricultural slurries by measurement of physical and chemical properties. J Agric Eng Res 71(3):291–305

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Simachaya W (1999) Integrated approaches to water quality management using geographical information systems and the WASP5 simulation model: application to the Thachin River Basin, Thailand. PhD Thesis, University of Guelph

  • Simachaya W (2003) Lessons learned on integrated watershed and water quality management in the Thachin River Basin, Thailand. In: Proceedings from the first Southeast Asia water forum, Chiang Mai, Thailand

  • Sinsupan T (2004) Material flux analysis (MFA) for Planning of domestic wastes and wastewater management: case study in Pakkret Municipality, Nonthaburi, Thailand. Masters Thesis, Asian Institute of Technology, Bangkok

  • Somlyódy L, Brunner PH, Kroiss H (1999) Nutrient balances for danube countries: a strategic analysis. Water Sci Technol 40(10):9–16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Steinfeld H, Gerber P, Wassenaar T, Castel V, Rosales M, de Haan C (2006) Livestock’s long shadow—environmental issues and constraints. FAO, Rome

    Google Scholar 

  • Thailand Meteorological Department (2001) Meteorological data for Suphanburi Station (1971–2000). Thailand Meteorological Department, Bangkok

    Google Scholar 

  • Van der Peet-Schwering CMC, Jongbloed AW, Aarnink AJA (1999) Nitrogen and phosphorus consumption, utilisation and losses in pig production: The Netherlands. Livest Prod Sci 58(3):213–224

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walcher C (2007) Hydrological patterns in the Thachin River Basin, Thailand. Masters Thesis, University of Bern

  • Yang PY, Gan C (1998) An on-farm swine waste management system in Hawaii. Bioresour Technol 65(1–2):21–27

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zessner M, Kroiss H (1999) Retention and losses of nutrients in the hydrosphere of Austria. Water Sci Technol 40(10):59–66

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The research for this article was carried out within Work Package 3 of the Swiss National Centre of Competence in Research (NCCR) North–South: Research Partnerships for Mitigating Syndromes of Global Change. The project is co-funded by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNF), and the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and part of a partnership between the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), the Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology (EAWAG), and the Hydrology Group of the University of Berne. The authors would like to express their sincere gratitude to the following local and international experts for generously sharing their knowledge and experiences on the pig farming system in Thailand: Dr. Arux Chaiyakul, Dr. Adisorn Chanprapalert, Dr. Somchai Chantsavang, Dr. Sommai Chatsanguthai, Dr. Pierre Gerber, Dr. Roongnapa Korparditskul, Dr. Dirk Lamberts, Dr. Harald Menzi, Dr. Sumet Mettasart, Dr. Beat Müller, and Dr. Kattaporn Poopej.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012, Bern, Switzerland

    Monika Schaffner

  2. Eawag, Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology, Ueberlandstrasse 133, P.O. Box 611, 8600, Duebendorf, Switzerland

    Monika Schaffner, Hans-Peter Bader & Ruth Scheidegger

Authors
  1. Monika Schaffner
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Hans-Peter Bader
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ruth Scheidegger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Monika Schaffner.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Schaffner, M., Bader, HP. & Scheidegger, R. Modeling the contribution of pig farming to pollution of the Thachin River. Clean Techn Environ Policy 12, 407–425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-009-0255-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-009-0255-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation