HOW TO SOLVE THE DUTCH MANURE PROBLEM

The European Union is fed up with the incompetence of the Dutch to decrease their manure problem. The effect might be that the Dutch farmers will be obliged to keep the cattle indoors in the summer. The result will be a dramatic change in the outlook of Holland . No more cows in the fresh green grass with a blue sky full of huge cumulus clouds.

A solution is needed though, because the Dutch literally drown in manure. Animals and flowers become extinct; the water becomes too polluted to swim in it. The European Commission wants the Dutch farmers to partly carry off the manure and partly start using fertilizer. This will cost the farmer a lot more money. And most Dutch farmers already have huge difficulties to survive. Most Dutch parties support the new measures; some of them even stated that the anti-manure measures should be as lot more severe.

The Dutch production of manure per hectare is the highest in Europe . The cattle produces more manure than can be used for the fertilisation of the arable land. Through this a surplus of manure arises. The surplus is a bit lower nowadays but still far too high.

Through this surplus substances like phosphate, nitrate and ammoniac are ending up in the environment and the system grows acid harms nature seriously. Plants start to grow rank and that's at the expense of other plant species. Also the water on the surface and groundwater get to high concentrations of nitrate. Because of this drinking water needs to be purified more profoundly. At some location in The Netherlands this is already the case.

Cattle's breeding is the largest emitter of ammoniac causing a lot of land and water growing acid. The amount of ammoniac ending up in the environment decreased lately, since more and more cattle are kept in stables now, were less ammoniac escapes from. For the rest the manure is kept in covered basins, and it is not sprayed over the farmland or ploughed into the ground or even injected into the ground.

The Dutch really tried everything to solve their manure problem. But nothing really worked because it was too expensive. Now the Dutch manure law is adjusted and old techniques are brushed up again. Since the Dutch do not manage to bring down their manure surplus, they can expect a huge fine from the EU.

There is a long list of different possible solutions for the Dutch manure problem. In1993 a special manure processing factory was opened. The idea was to export the manure surplus to Spain , Portugal and they ware also thinking about exporting manure to the Sahara and India . In 1995 the factory went bankrupt. The process was too expensive. Also steaming techniques and special filters never really made it.

The solution is to be found in the market- value and demand. There is a Dutch company that manages to export 100.000 tons of chicken manure to countries like Morocco and Egypt . This is 15% of the Dutch chicken manure production. One of the main tricks to make it affordable is to organise a return cargo like empty containers or other good produced in these countries or nearby. For example tomatoes and beans form the horticultural regions in the countries around the Mediterranean Sea . According to the managing director of the companies it is possible to have a durable cycle of minerals. The chicken manure export company makes profit.

The problem is that cow- and pig manure is thicker than chicken manure. It needs more robust techniques to process it. It should be a combination of techniques according to the managing director. The components rich of energy can be converted into green electricity and heat through manure fermenting (already happening a lot in Germany and Denmark ). Through thickening techniques a compact manure product can be produced. Through the new severe manure rules, more market pressure arises. Manure becomes more valuable, because the farmers cannot dump or sell it cheaply to their neighbours. In the end a durable worldwide manure cycle should come into being, starting in Europe. more features

July 1, 2004