Intensive Animal Farming Operations – a Preliminary Analysis of a Number of Farm Animals, Ammonia Emission Values Variability and Methods of Reducing Odor Emissions and Assessing Health Impact Taking into Account Possible Solutions in Poland and Ukraine

Abstract

The article seeks to review the standards (emission and immission) and legal solutions relating to odour-active compounds, as well asanalyse the variability in the number of farmed animals and the emission of ammonia in Poland and Ukraine. Furthermore, the article characterizesodour emission factors, methods of health risk assessment, ways of limiting emission of odorous compounds from animal farming facilities. The analysis indicated the necessity of applying good practices available in reference documents – including those drawn up by environmental agencies – and scientific works, as such practices may significantly contribute to minimising the impact of animal farming facilities on people and the environment. The introduction of, inter alia, immission standards (reference values) expressed in ouE/m3 in the legal regimes of the EU and Ukraine would also render it possible to carry out an assessment of odours treated as a mixture present in ambient air and optimise the assessment of odour nuisance and thus the discomfort directly affecting the well-being and health of inhabitants of areas in the vicinity of farming facilities.