To whom it may concern,
At approx 4pm today, 9th July 2011, I witnessed the field adjoining my
rented dwelling having slurry sprayed on it from the adjoining public
roadway. There was high concentration close to the house, in such a
high level that it is ponding. The slurry was spread less than 4
meters from the house.
I have attached some photos for reference purposes. Further photos can
be provided if required.
The incident happened at Lacca West, Duagh, Listowel, Co. Kerry.
I would appreciate any action you can take regarding this matter.
I understand that I must complete a complaint form but I do not have
access to a printer at present, but due to the urgency required in
dealing with such matters I would be willing to complete one if
required.
Please do not hesitate to contact me on this matter
 |
| Drawings of a typical slatted unit for cows |
Conor, is that the view from your window? That stuff looks scary!
ReplyDeleteWhat exactly is "slurry?" I'm guessing it doesn't smell so good.
Good evening Raymond,
ReplyDeleteYou are correct in assuming that is the view from my window. I have only been in this house a few weeks due to a fire at our cottage 6 weeks ago.
Slurry is, to put it politely, animal manure (I would say shit, but my mother told me Canadians and Americans don't swear). I have attached a drawing for a typical housing unit for cows. These days animals spend most of the year in these buildings, the fields they would have grazed not long ago are now used for growing grass for feed.
Now comes the important bit. If you look at the drawings you will see 2 tanks under the floor, there are holes in the floor above to allow the manure fall into the tanks below. Sometimes the under floor tanks are connected to large above ground tanks up to 30 meters in diameter and 6 meters high. Well all that manure doesn't just disappear, so something has to e done with it. At certain specified times of year it is spread on the land, it is supposed to be injected into the ground, but in Ireland it is sprayed on to the land. During the spreading season fish kills go up and round water is contaminated.
Basically it is the product of modern industrialized farming practices. For more insight check out a movie called "Food Inc."
However there are other methods of farming which are more natural, check out some videos on youtube for Polyface Farm or Joel Salatin.
I guess I should stop now before I go on a rant about how producing food on a small scale is now illegal.
Yes, I thought that's what it was. They have a more "sanitized" name for it here: "biosolids."
ReplyDeleteFactory farming is a pox. I've seen Food Inc. Everyone who's seen it, I think, has changed their approach to eating. It's crazy that we're increasingly relying on shipping our food from afar while paving over local farmland.
This is madness. It's destabilizing the food supply and as Jeff Rubin warns it's all reliant on cheap oil--something that is running out.
I'd better stop now, as well, before I go off on one of my favourite rants.
An update of the situation.
ReplyDeleteToday I got a phone call from the EPA acknowledging receipt of my email. I was told that my first action would be to complete the complaint forms for Kerry county council, who had already been contacted by the EPA. I was advised that if I felt that Kerry county council were not acting in an acceptable manner, that I should then contact the EPA who would then investigate the matter.