Environmental Resources for Poultry

General

Multimedia Environmental Compliance Guide for Food Processors
As food processors, you are regulated by a variety of federal laws administered by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that impact human activities and the environment. Noncompliance with these regulations can damage human health and the environment, and result in significant financial liabilities for clean up costs or fines. Environmental compliance may be difficult for some food processors that do not have the time, staff, or other resources necessary to determine their responsibilities. Also, environmental regulations and laws can be complicated, and information on environmental compliance may be difficult to locate. Adding to these complexities, you must be aware of and meet stringent food safety requirements. To assist you, EPA, with special assistance from the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI), the American Meat Institute (AMI), the National Food Processors Association (NFPA) and the Food Industry Environmental Council (FIEC), has developed this guide to address these issues.

Environmental Self-Assessment for the Food Processing Industry
A Quick and easy checklist of polllution prevention measures for the food processing industry.

Environmental, Health, and Safety Guidelines for Poultry Processing
The Environmental, Health, and Safety (EHS) Guidelines are technical reference documents with general and industry specific examples of Good International Industry Practice(GIIP). When one or more members of the World Bank Group are involved in a project, these EHS Guidelines are applied as required by their respective policies and standards. These industry sector EHS guidelines are designed to be used together with the General EHS Guidelines document, which provides guidance to users on common EHS issues potentially applicable to all industry sectors. For complex projects, use of multiple industry-sector guidelines may be necessary.

Air

Water/Wastewater

Broiler CEOs: You May Have a $162 Million Opportunity
As a chief executive officer, you are no doubt aware that water and sewer costs for some poultry processing plants have risen almost tenfold during the last two decades. But did you know that the upward trend is projected to continue at the same rate or higher?

Survey Shows That Poultry Processors Can Save Money by Conserving Water
Many poultry processors can save an average of 5 cents per broiler—just by practicing water conservation! To find out how much water poultry processors are using, individuals from chicken processing plants were interviewed. If you’re responsible for managing a poultry plant, you’ll find the results interesting. Comparing your plant’s water and sewer costs to those of other processors may suggest ways you can cut water use and save money.

Liquid Assets for Your Poultry Plant
Did you realize that your broiler processing plant may use more than 600 million gallons of water every year–enough to supply a town of 35,000 people?

Systems for Recycling Water in Poultry Processing
Cut water and sewer costs $85,000 per year by recycling chiller water.

Poultry Processors: You Can Reduce Waste Load and Cut Sewer Surcharges
Did you know that many broiler processing plants produce thousands of pounds of potential wastewater pollutants every day—equivalent to the waste load from a city of 90,000?

Wastewater Reduction Options for Poultry Processing Plants
Fact Sheet, Minnesota Technical Assistance Program, University of Minnesota
The poultry industry is a large contributor to Minnesota’s agricultural economy with sales accounting for about seven percent of Minnesota’s farm output. Poultry processing plants contribute large biological oxygen demand (BOD) loads, as well as total suspended solids (TSS) and phosphorus to wastewater. Most of the wastewater loading in the poultry industry comes from the slaughtering process when the birds are bled, scalded with hot water, rinsed up to three times, gutted, and chilled with water. The need to both maintain high production and meet 1997 zero fecal contamination requirements set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) makes using high volumes of water essential.

Doing What it Takes to be WasteWise
From reducing product packaging to composting excess food, the food manufacturing/processing industry has a wealth of waste reduction opportunities. Below is a sampling of the commitments and achievements of WasteWise partners in this industry. These types of activities also can help your company reduce waste and cut costs. For more information or to enroll your company in WasteWise, call 800 EPAWISE (372-9473) or visit our home page at [www.epa.gov/wastewise].

Energy