Since lagoons are generally designed based on the volatile solids loading rate, adding a solid separator prior to an existing lagoon will effectively increase the lagoon treatment volume to solids ratio and thus there should be less potential for odor and other gaseous emissions. The effectiveness of the separator at capturing the solids, often referred to as removal efficiency, will determine the overall impact on the lagoon or storage pond. The overall impact to the farm operation should be considered prior to making changes to your waste management system. If the solids that are removed from the waste stream are not managed properly they can contribute to problems such as odor and flies. In addition, changes in your nutrient management plan will need to reflect the changes in lagoon nutrient concentrations and the additional management requirements for the solid manure. Removing the solids from the wastewater entering the lagoon will extend the life of the lagoon because or reduced accumulation of solids that will settle to the bottom of the lagoon or become a floating mat on top of the lagoon. This should reduce the frequency, expense, and difficulty of renovation to remove accumulated solids from the lagoon. In addition, separation has the effect of resulting in more concentrated nutrients in the solids which should reduce the difficulty and expense of utilizing manure based nutrients at greater distances from the livestock production center. Adding a solid separation operation typically does require additional initial and maintenance expense and more importantly additional management. However, some of these expenses may be somewhat offset by reduced renovation and transportation costs. Additional information: LPES Lesson on Solid/Liquid to Control Emissions from Manure Storage Facilities Authored by: Mark Rice, North Carolina State University Reviewed by: Chris Henry, University of Nebraska Karl VanDevender, University of Arkansas

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