ANIMAL WASTE LAGOON BREACH IS NOT AN OPTION
“The thought of the fines and the publicity that could come from improper waste management is my worst nightmare,” said an agriculture operations manager. “We simply cannot afford to experience a breach. Monitoring and prevention are really my only choice. I could lose my business.”
When animal waste lagoons experience a breach, major environmental implications can occur. Fines and costs skyrocket.
In one case, a lagoon ruptured due to weather. Failure to monitor levels resulted in 25 million gallons of liquid swine waste entering a nearby river and its estuary. It affected miles of rivers with fish kills and algae blooms. It was reported that the state’s division of environmental management discussed fining the farm $10,000 for every violation found.
MEASURING AND MONITORING LAGOONS KEY TO THE PREVENTION
Government regulations on the management of animal waste are stringent. While most in the industry are vigilant with animal waste management in pits and waste lagoons, the challenges of weather and other factors make oversight a challenge. The costs of a mistake could put an operation at severe risk and even cause bankruptcy.
AUTOMATED WASTE MEASUREMENT, ALERT SYSTEM
The case for applying technology is a solid one. Animal waste automation makes it easier to comply with regulations. Sensors can alert agriculture managers to high levels of animal waste in a lagoon. Automated alerts are sent to the staff via text or email to know when it's time to empty pits, allowing for a proactive approach to scheduling equipment and manpower. This reduces the risk of spills or breaches. Exportable measurement history streamlines report preparation.
BOOSTING OVERSIGHT WHILE REDUCING LABOR
By employing BinMaster sensors and software, staff can reduce trips to the lagoon to monitor levels. In fact, more oversight of lagoon levels can be encouraged, as reports are easily found on any PC or device connected to the internet.
What's the best waste monitoring equipment for my lagoon?
A BinMaster radar level sensor performs reliably in challenging environments thanks to a rugged enclosure impervious to dust and weather extremes. Radar measures more consistently than ultrasonic sensors with high accuracy. If the lagoon gets choppy or wind bounces the sensor, the software will average measurements. Solar-powered options are ideal if there is no electrical service available at the lagoon.
The weather-tight non-contact radar level sensor measures pit and lagoon livestock waste at distances up to 26 feet. Sensors work reliably in turbulence or foam. A flood-proof IP66/68 enclosure ensures maintenance-free, continuous operation. For lagoons, posts are mounted on either side of the lagoon with the sensor mounted on a bracket attached to taut wires. Another lagoon mounting option is to suspend the sensor on a boom arm attached to a post.
Q: How do I get a report of animal waste levels? A: PitView software
Taking the level of history and making it useful is the next step. Data from the sensor is processed in the cloud. The data is available through BinMaster's platform, PitView®.
On PitView reports, each site and sensor location is uniquely named. The software is able to incorporate multiple sites. Time intervals for measurement frequency and alert conditions are set up in the software. Reports can be run on demand for specified date ranges. Staff on or off the farm access the same data to make decision-making faster and easier.
If an alarm is triggered, designated staff automatically receive a text or email, allowing them to intervene before a breach occurs.
PitView and radar sensors lets farmers plan application sites and schedule trucks in advance. Know how much waste is available to arrange for the equipment and manpower to manage application sites. PitView can also be added to BinMaster’s FeedView® cloud application to monitor levels in feed bins, pits, and lagoons—all in one easy-to-use program.
