Manure a growing pollution problem

WASHINGTON, March 1 (UPI) -- Environmentalists and scientists say animal manure is becoming a growing pollution problem in the United States.

The Washington Post said Monday the amount of manure produced by the nation's livestock is far more than can be recycled into fertilizer, resulting in excess manure that gives off methane.

The excess animal manure also manages to impact the nation's waterways by becoming part of nutrient pollution. Scientists define nutrients as the pollutants found in manure and other matter such as treated sewage.

"We now know that we have more nutrient pollution from animals in the Chesapeake Bay watershed" than from human sewage, J. Charles Fox of the Environmental Protection Agency said.

University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science President Donald F. Boesch said the rising threat of pollution caused by animal manure comes after humans have managed to limit other forms of air and water pollution.

"We've dealt with the kind of conventional pollutants," that brought about the first Earth Day nearly 40 years ago, Boesch told the Post. "Now, we see the things that are eating our lunch, if you will, are natural products … that are just overloading the system."