Mexico Promotes Sustainable Pig Waste Management

The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development is advancing the use of biodigestors to manage and treat pig waste, aiming to reduce environmental damage. The initiative, carried out through the National Institute of Forest, Agricultural, and Livestock Research (INIFAP), focuses on the project Characterization and Utilization of Byproducts from a Pig Waste Biodigestor.

Implemented by INIFAP researchers at the Campo Experimental Centro Altos de Jalisco, the technology was validated in 2021. The project addresses the environmental challenges posed by solid and liquid waste from pig farming, which has been exacerbated by inadequate producer training, limited resources, and low environmental awareness.

Biodigestors have been used in Mexican pig farms to produce biogas and treat wastewater over the past decade. Despite their benefits, adoption remains low, with these systems primarily used in medium and high-density production environments. INIFAP promotes biodigestors as energy-saving solutions and environmental mitigators for rural areas engaged in livestock farming.

This technology reduces the pollution potential of organic waste, such as animal manure, by ensuring that the final effluent meets regulatory limits for irrigation and discharge into natural or artificial water bodies. The biodigester system features an anaerobic digester constructed from high-density geomembrane, with its effluent transferred to four interconnected treatment lagoons. These lagoons are designed to reduce solid concentrations with a residence time of approximately 25 to 30 days.

Biodigestors can be adapted for farms in Jalisco, Sonora, Guanajuato, Michoacan, Queretaro, Yucatan, Veracruz, and Puebla—states that account for about 85% of Mexico’s pig production. Installation considerations include farm type, location, facility capacity, and drainage networks. This approach aims to improve waste management practices and mitigate environmental impacts associated with pig farming in Mexico.