fbpx
Skip to content

Washington State Holds CAFO Accountable for Pollution

February 22, 2012

A federal district court in Washington state has found a CAFO (Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation) in violation of the Clean Water Act and is forcing it to implement stricter pollution monitoring programs.

Manure (mixed with other waste) from CAFOs is often used as “fertilizers” on agricultural fields or stored in “manure lagoons.” These lagoons often leak or overflow. The toxic waste then seeps into the groundwater, contaminating it for miles around. Giardia and hydrogen sulfide poisoning are common in areas close to CAFOs.

Lynn Henning won the Goldman Prize in 2010 for exposing the immense pollution caused by the CAFO industry in Michigan. She formed Environmentally Concerned Citizens of South Central Michigan (ECCSCM) to organize local communities and demand stricter regulations and monitoring of state and federal laws. Henning continues her fight on the local and national level, as the momentum of her campaign brings CAFO violations to light all over the country.

Related Posts

Prize Winners Today: mark! Lopez Tackles Environmental Injustice in Los Angeles


October 8, 2024 – By Ellen Lomonico

In today’s world of magical modernity, we can have anything we want the next day. A pack of socks, a Cuisinart® food processor (top rated), a new electric toothbrush—a click of a button and poof!—it appears at my doorstep. I fold up the cardboard packaging into my apartment’s blue bin where it will be recycled…

Read more

Three Black Environmental Leaders You Should Know


February 20, 2024

We celebrate the contributions of Black leaders to the environmental movement in the United States and around the world. Join us in learning about some of their stories. Sharon Lavigne Environmental justice advocate Sharon Lavigne (United States, 2021) successfully stopped the construction of a $1.25 billion plastics manufacturing plant in St. James Parish, Louisiana. The…

Read more

Prize Winners Today: Kimberly Wasserman’s Fight for Environmental Justice in Chicago


February 28, 2023 – By Ellen Lomonico

A Voice for Environmental Justice Kimberly Wasserman is a born organizer. Strong, joyful, and constantly evolving, she radiates warmth and energy. Secure in her beliefs but open minded and friendly, Kim’s power comes from both within herself and from her community on the Southwest side of Chicago: Little Village. Last month, we sat down with…

Read more