Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico

Water and manure management from industrial poultry and swine farms in Yucatan, Mexico, is driving socioenvironmental conflicts due to policies that largely ignore the karstic landscape’s limited capacity to recycle manure nutrients and prevent the pollution of groundwater, the only fresh...

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Main Authors: Abelardo Rodríguez-López, Emilio de los Ríos-Ibarra
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Academia.edu Journals 2025-02-01
Series:Academia Environmental Sciences and Sustainability
Online Access:https://www.academia.edu/127932304/Industrial_poultry_and_swine_groundwater_pollution_in_a_karstic_environment_Yucatan_Mexico
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author Abelardo Rodríguez-López
Emilio de los Ríos-Ibarra
author_facet Abelardo Rodríguez-López
Emilio de los Ríos-Ibarra
author_sort Abelardo Rodríguez-López
collection DOAJ
description Water and manure management from industrial poultry and swine farms in Yucatan, Mexico, is driving socioenvironmental conflicts due to policies that largely ignore the karstic landscape’s limited capacity to recycle manure nutrients and prevent the pollution of groundwater, the only freshwater source in the region. Mexico’s trade agreements favor the access to export markets and conditions for rapid industrial farm expansion. According to an analysis of the secondary information on industrial swine and poultry production in 21 municipalities, 11,559 metric tons of excreted nitrogen was generated in 2020. We estimate that 85% of this nitrogen remains in a reactive form and pollutes the environment. An open, evidence-based dialog among stakeholders is needed on water and manure management policies and strategies to ensure sustainability and equity.
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spelling doaj-art-2bcc04bde7dc45a99a74f587a5eddec42025-08-20T02:09:24ZengAcademia.edu JournalsAcademia Environmental Sciences and Sustainability2997-60062025-02-012110.20935/AcadEnvSci7530Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, MexicoAbelardo Rodríguez-López0Emilio de los Ríos-Ibarra1Consultant, San Juan del Rio 76820, Queretaro, Mexico.ENES Escuela Nacional de Estudios Superiores Merida - Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Ucu 97357, Yucatan, Mexico. Water and manure management from industrial poultry and swine farms in Yucatan, Mexico, is driving socioenvironmental conflicts due to policies that largely ignore the karstic landscape’s limited capacity to recycle manure nutrients and prevent the pollution of groundwater, the only freshwater source in the region. Mexico’s trade agreements favor the access to export markets and conditions for rapid industrial farm expansion. According to an analysis of the secondary information on industrial swine and poultry production in 21 municipalities, 11,559 metric tons of excreted nitrogen was generated in 2020. We estimate that 85% of this nitrogen remains in a reactive form and pollutes the environment. An open, evidence-based dialog among stakeholders is needed on water and manure management policies and strategies to ensure sustainability and equity.https://www.academia.edu/127932304/Industrial_poultry_and_swine_groundwater_pollution_in_a_karstic_environment_Yucatan_Mexico
spellingShingle Abelardo Rodríguez-López
Emilio de los Ríos-Ibarra
Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
Academia Environmental Sciences and Sustainability
title Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
title_full Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
title_fullStr Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
title_full_unstemmed Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
title_short Industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment: Yucatan, Mexico
title_sort industrial poultry and swine groundwater pollution in a karstic environment yucatan mexico
url https://www.academia.edu/127932304/Industrial_poultry_and_swine_groundwater_pollution_in_a_karstic_environment_Yucatan_Mexico
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