‘Muck Map’ reveals the scale of toxic waste from factory farms impacting England’s rivers & housing targets

• New research, from Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth, and Sustain, shows the areas most at risk from factory farm pollution on an interactive map
• The research also finds that up to 33,450 tonnes of manure is produced by UK chicken and pig factory farms every day
• The Severn, Great Ouse, Ouse (Yorkshire), Norfolk Rivers Group, Trent and Wye are listed as rivers most likely to be affected by manure from factory farms

New research for the first time reveals the areas of the UK both where the most animal manure from factory farms is produced and also where it is spread, indicating the river catchments most at risk from agricultural pollution.

The data, compiled in an interactive ‘Muck Map’ of the UK, models indicative muck spread on farmland and also the river catchments where the most is produced.

This reveals that the Severn, Great Ouse, Ouse (Yorkshire), Trent, Norfolk Rivers Group and the Wye top the list of river catchments where animal manure from factory farms is produced and therefore are most likely to be affected.

The new research from Compassion in World Farming, Friends of the Earth, and Sustain also finds that up to 33,450 tonnes of manure is produced in the UK every day by pig and poultry factory farms.

The number of pig and poultry factory farms increased by 12% between 2016 and 2023. National planning rules continue to allow factory farms to be built even in areas already very polluted.

Increasingly, factory farms are overwhelming local communities with their pollution, noise, smell and toxic air – endangering the health and welfare of local people, wildlife and the environment.

Factory farming is the greatest source of animal cruelty in the UK – where each year, over a billion animals are raised in overcrowded barns, feedlots or cages.

Agricultural waste is the most common form of pollution preventing rivers from achieving good ecological status and is responsible for 70% of nitrate pollution in the UK. River water quality has been declining across the UK, yet, planning rules for England do not encourage councils to refuse applications for new factory farms where pollution is already a problem, despite the recommendation of an Environmental Audit Committee inquiry in 2023 that they should do so.

England’s planning rules are currently under review, and the organisations behind the ‘Muck Map’ say stronger and clearer rules are needed to protect rivers and wildlife from further harm.

Nutrient pollution means that soils in every region in England are in nitrogen surplus; some receive more than twice what they can absorb. If intensive livestock farming were to continue to expand at its current rate, annual nitrate production could be up by 32% on 2016 levels by 2028.

The nutrient pollution crisis is so severe that housebuilding in 74 local authorities in England has been stalled, with many of the areas that are too polluted to build corresponding with factory farming hotspots.

Anthony Field, Head of Compassion in World Farming’s UK Office, said:

“Housing large numbers of dairy cows, laying hens, broiler chickens and pigs permanently indoors or without access to pasture is a significant source of pollution. The spread of slurry from factory farms in England has already contributed to every region being polluted with nitrogen. It’s so bad in some places that protected areas are being damaged and this pollution must be offset to allow house building to go ahead.

“This ludicrous situation must stop immediately. Core Defra priorities are to ensure nature’s recovery and to clean up Britain’s rivers, lakes and seas. A core priority for Angela Rayner MP as the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, is to fulfil the new housing targets. Government departments must start working together to support local communities and allow local councils to reject planning applications for new factory farms. Failure to act will have a severe impact on the climate and nature crises.”

Friends of the Earth’s corporate accountability campaigner, Clare Oxborrow, said:

“Factory farms are silently taking over the UK’s countryside, driven by powerful agribusinesses chasing profit at all costs. Not only are these companies polluting our precious rivers and wildlife, they are driving devastation to habitats and livelihoods in South America, where the diverse Cerrado ecosystem is being razed to produce soy to feed pigs and chickens in the UK and around the world.

“We must stop companies harming nature and communities, here and overseas. That’s why we’re calling for a new Business, Human Rights and Environment Act to hold companies to account and require them to prevent environmental and human rights abuses in their supply chains.”

Ruth Westcott, Climate and Nature Emergency Manager at Sustain, said:

“Our planning rules have failed to prevent factory farm corporations from flooding our rivers with pollution. Local councils and communities are desperate to protect their rivers but they are facing a wave of applications for large and dangerously polluting units. The new review of our national planning policies means that government has an opportunity to ensure new planning rules support councils to protect their communities better.

But we need to do more than reform planning policy, because many farmers have little choice but to intensify. Farmers and farm workers need to earn a decent living from nature friendly, agroecological farming. That means regulation to ensure farmers get a fair deal and offering just routes to diversify out of intensive livestock.”

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For more information please email media.team@ciwf.org or call 01483 521 615.

Relevant images can be downloaded here.