SUBSCRIBE TO OUR FREE NEWSLETTER
Daily news & progressive opinion—funded by the people, not the corporations—delivered straight to your inbox.
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
5
#000000
#FFFFFF
Bill Olesner walks down South Battery St. while cleaning debris from storm drains on September 5, 2019 in Charleston, South Carolina. (Photo: Sean Rayford/Getty Images)
Literal Sh*t Storm: Warnings of Major Manure Threat as Hurricane Dorian Barrels Toward North Carolina Factory Farms
"The heavy rainfall could flood poorly located factory farms, spreading untold tons of hog, chicken, and turkey waste along the coastal plain."
Sep 05, 2019
As Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Carolinas Thursday, environmentalists warned the powerful storm could unleash millions of tons of manure and other animal waste if it floods the factory farms situated on the North Carolina coast.
Soren Rundquist, who studies the expansion of factory farms for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said "the most important thing right now is that people stay safe" as the hurricane bears down on the southeast U.S.
"But we're also watching the thousands of North Carolina factory farms that sit directly in Dorian's projected path," said Rundquist. "The heavy rainfall could flood poorly located factory farms, spreading untold tons of hog, chicken, and turkey waste along the coastal plain."
Green groups and North Carolina residents have good reason to worry that a powerful storm like Dorian could flood factory farms and release tons of manure into the state's rivers and creeks.
Last September, according to EWG, Hurricane Florence flooded or breached more than 130 pig manure lagoons and dozens of poultry operations.
EWG said the possible spread of factory farm manure could pose a severe public health hazard, as life-threatening bacteria could contaminate sources of public drinking water.
"Farm animal manure contains antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella," EWG said in a press release. "Pollution from the chemicals in livestock waste also triggers toxic algae blooms... After Florence, at least 73 tap water systems serving over a half-million people issued advisories for residents to boil water that may have been contaminated by floodwaters."
EWG's warning came as Hurricane Dorian caused major power outages, flooding, and "slew" of tornadoes in the Carolinas.
\u201cImagine a \ud83c\udf2a\ufe0fTORNADO\ud83c\udf2a\ufe0ferupting in your backyard just as a record-breaking hurricane barrels closer. \n\nThat's happening all over the Carolinas right now as #DorianNC persists. This is the #ClimateCrisis.\n\nhttps://t.co/R71gyLREAy\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1567709560
As the New York Timesreported Thursday, "Dorian's center was far away, but its tropical-storm-force winds extended nearly 200 miles from its center, and its effects could be felt in Wilmington, a port city of about 122,000 on North Carolina's southeastern coast."
Why Your Ongoing Support Is Essential
Donald Trump’s attacks on democracy, justice, and a free press are escalating — putting everything we stand for at risk. We believe a better world is possible, but we can’t get there without your commitment. Common Dreams stands apart. We answer only to you — our readers, activists, and changemakers — not to billionaires or corporations. Our independence allows us to cover the vital stories that others won’t, spotlighting movements for peace, equality, and human rights. Right now, our work faces unprecedented challenges. Misinformation is spreading, journalists are under attack, and financial pressures are mounting. As a reader-supported, nonprofit newsroom, your support is crucial to keep this journalism alive. While every gift matters and makes a powerful difference, it gives us the stability to invest confidently in in-depth, fearless reporting — the kind of journalism that holds power accountable and fuels real change. Whatever you can give — $10, $25, or $100 — your steady support helps us stay strong and responsive when the world needs us most. Together, we’ll continue to build the independent, courageous journalism our movement relies on. Thank you for being part of this community. |
Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.
As Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Carolinas Thursday, environmentalists warned the powerful storm could unleash millions of tons of manure and other animal waste if it floods the factory farms situated on the North Carolina coast.
Soren Rundquist, who studies the expansion of factory farms for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said "the most important thing right now is that people stay safe" as the hurricane bears down on the southeast U.S.
"But we're also watching the thousands of North Carolina factory farms that sit directly in Dorian's projected path," said Rundquist. "The heavy rainfall could flood poorly located factory farms, spreading untold tons of hog, chicken, and turkey waste along the coastal plain."
Green groups and North Carolina residents have good reason to worry that a powerful storm like Dorian could flood factory farms and release tons of manure into the state's rivers and creeks.
Last September, according to EWG, Hurricane Florence flooded or breached more than 130 pig manure lagoons and dozens of poultry operations.
EWG said the possible spread of factory farm manure could pose a severe public health hazard, as life-threatening bacteria could contaminate sources of public drinking water.
"Farm animal manure contains antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella," EWG said in a press release. "Pollution from the chemicals in livestock waste also triggers toxic algae blooms... After Florence, at least 73 tap water systems serving over a half-million people issued advisories for residents to boil water that may have been contaminated by floodwaters."
EWG's warning came as Hurricane Dorian caused major power outages, flooding, and "slew" of tornadoes in the Carolinas.
\u201cImagine a \ud83c\udf2a\ufe0fTORNADO\ud83c\udf2a\ufe0ferupting in your backyard just as a record-breaking hurricane barrels closer. \n\nThat's happening all over the Carolinas right now as #DorianNC persists. This is the #ClimateCrisis.\n\nhttps://t.co/R71gyLREAy\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1567709560
As the New York Timesreported Thursday, "Dorian's center was far away, but its tropical-storm-force winds extended nearly 200 miles from its center, and its effects could be felt in Wilmington, a port city of about 122,000 on North Carolina's southeastern coast."
As Hurricane Dorian pummeled the Carolinas Thursday, environmentalists warned the powerful storm could unleash millions of tons of manure and other animal waste if it floods the factory farms situated on the North Carolina coast.
Soren Rundquist, who studies the expansion of factory farms for the Environmental Working Group (EWG), said "the most important thing right now is that people stay safe" as the hurricane bears down on the southeast U.S.
"But we're also watching the thousands of North Carolina factory farms that sit directly in Dorian's projected path," said Rundquist. "The heavy rainfall could flood poorly located factory farms, spreading untold tons of hog, chicken, and turkey waste along the coastal plain."
Green groups and North Carolina residents have good reason to worry that a powerful storm like Dorian could flood factory farms and release tons of manure into the state's rivers and creeks.
Last September, according to EWG, Hurricane Florence flooded or breached more than 130 pig manure lagoons and dozens of poultry operations.
EWG said the possible spread of factory farm manure could pose a severe public health hazard, as life-threatening bacteria could contaminate sources of public drinking water.
"Farm animal manure contains antibiotic-resistant bacteria and pathogens such as E. coli and salmonella," EWG said in a press release. "Pollution from the chemicals in livestock waste also triggers toxic algae blooms... After Florence, at least 73 tap water systems serving over a half-million people issued advisories for residents to boil water that may have been contaminated by floodwaters."
EWG's warning came as Hurricane Dorian caused major power outages, flooding, and "slew" of tornadoes in the Carolinas.
\u201cImagine a \ud83c\udf2a\ufe0fTORNADO\ud83c\udf2a\ufe0ferupting in your backyard just as a record-breaking hurricane barrels closer. \n\nThat's happening all over the Carolinas right now as #DorianNC persists. This is the #ClimateCrisis.\n\nhttps://t.co/R71gyLREAy\u201d— Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05 (@Sunrise Movement \ud83c\udf05) 1567709560
As the New York Timesreported Thursday, "Dorian's center was far away, but its tropical-storm-force winds extended nearly 200 miles from its center, and its effects could be felt in Wilmington, a port city of about 122,000 on North Carolina's southeastern coast."
We've had enough. The 1% own and operate the corporate media. They are doing everything they can to defend the status quo, squash dissent and protect the wealthy and the powerful. The Common Dreams media model is different. We cover the news that matters to the 99%. Our mission? To inform. To inspire. To ignite change for the common good. How? Nonprofit. Independent. Reader-supported. Free to read. Free to republish. Free to share. With no advertising. No paywalls. No selling of your data. Thousands of small donations fund our newsroom and allow us to continue publishing. Can you chip in? We can't do it without you. Thank you.