Guidelines for reducing odors and noise from livestock farms in FVG

The Friuli Venezia Giulia region has approved new guidelines for livestock farms subject to Integrated Environmental Authorization (AIA) for the development of an Environmental Management System (SGA).

The directive of May 21, 2024, no. 24133, effective June 12, provides intensive farming companies authorized under Part Two of Legislative Decree 152/2006 (Integrated Environmental Authorization) with a series of guidelines to improve their environmental performance in line with sectoral "Best Available Techniques" (BAT) approved by the EU Commission Decision 2017/302/EU.

The contents of this decree apply to intensive poultry and pig farms that fall within the limits set out in Annex VIII, Part II of Legislative Decree 152/06 and are thus subject to Integrated Environmental Authorization (AIA).

According to UNI EN ISO 14001, the technical reference standard, an Environmental Management System (SGA) is “the part of an organization's management system used to develop and implement its environmental policy and manage its environmental aspects”, encompassing the organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes, and resources aimed at improving environmental performance.

This type of tool is based on the application of the four fundamental principles of the Deming cycle

• Plan: planning objectives and the activities/tools necessary to achieve them;
• Do: operational phase where the planning is implemented with all previously identified actions;
• Check: evaluation of performance achieved following the actions taken;
• Act: based on the evidence found during the “check” phase, targeted actions are taken to correct and improve the process.

A management system based on this method allows, through the reiteration of the four phases, the continuous improvement of environmental performance in the medium-long term.

The preparation of the SGA will become mandatory in accordance with BAT 1 (Environmental Management Systems - EMS) for all installations falling under one of the I.P.P.C. categories mentioned in Annex VIII, Part II of the environmental code, point 6.6 “Intensive Rearing of Poultry or Pigs”:

• Farms with more than 40,000 poultry places:
• Farms with more than 2,000 production pigs (over 30kg);
• Farms with more than 750 sows.

The new decree contains, in four annexes, the fundamental guidelines for preparing an SGA for poultry and pig farming companies. Specifically, the decree indicates to the interested parties:

1. Guidelines for drafting the Environmental Management System Manual (MSGA), which precisely describes the key figures of the SGA, the company organization, mission, and environmental policy, as well as all the necessary indications for implementing the four fundamental actions (Annex A).

2. Guidelines for procedures for managing environmental emergencies, providing the SGA manager with the main necessary indications for correctly planning emergency preparedness and response processes (Annex B).

3. Guidelines for preparing the Odor Management Plan, containing the main contents to be included in this tool (containment actions, odor monitoring, intervention protocol in case of incidents, review) (Annex D).

4. Guidelines for preparing the Noise Management Plan, containing the main contents to be included in this tool (containment actions, noise monitoring, intervention protocol in case of incidents, review) (Annex C).

LOD,  Dynamic Olfactometry Laboratory, can support agricultural companies in adopting the legislation specifically with:

• Authorization consultancy:

1. Integrated Environmental Authorization

2. Environmental Impact Assessment

3. Review

• Drafting of the SGA required by the Decree
• Evaluation of odor emissions

In collaboration with LOD, the Gruppo Luci offers additional services related to compliance with the new guidelines for reducing and eliminating odor and noise emissions.

To support activities for odor reduction, LOD collaborates with Labiotest to offer effective solutions to odor problems.

For livestock farms, Labiotest proposes the osmogenic barrier technology, which includes misting systems and specific neutralizing products to manage non-dangerous but annoying emissions. Additionally, Ecofarm offers waste collection and disposal services, essential for preventing bad odors.

For noise reduction, recommendations include the adoption of efficient and quiet machinery, maintenance of equipment, and care of hedges around the farms to reduce noise. Gesteco, specializing in environmental acoustics, provides specific consultancy support to livestock companies for noise emission reduction and compliance with the regulations.

For more information on the regulations and the services we offer regarding odors, you can contact us at +39 0432-1715695 or via email at: lod@gruppoluci.it.