Pago Pago, AMERICAN SAMOA — The American Samoa Department of Health Environmental Health Services (ASDoH-EHS) has put piggery owners on notice.

“Disposing of pig waste directly onto grounds near the ocean is unacceptable. 

“These pig wastes are surely seeping through the ground and most likely are washed into the ocean during high tides,” said a statement released by the ASDoH-EHS on their official social media platform.

It urges piggery owners to take responsibility by eliminating and preventing the contamination of local waters. 

The ASDoH-EHS statement says the division responded to complaints over “foul odor from [a] piggery and found pig waste being disposed of directly onto the ground and septic is full, so pipes are not connected nor doing any good to keeping waste away from the ocean.”

The department reminded the piggery owners this is unacceptable.

The AS Environment Protection Agency (AS-EPA) says to meet the needs of American Samoa’s rapidly growing population, land and water resources must be effectively managed.

Accordingly, piggery and waste use/ disposal system guidelines state that most piggeries implement inadequate waste management systems that contaminate surface water, which in turn contaminates our groundwater, drinking water, beaches and coral reefs.

“Local government laws require that all piggeries be located at least 50 feet from a dwelling or water body, and located at least 100 feet from a public water well.

“The law also requires that all pigs be kept in a pen, and that pig waste be properly treated in a manner that does not impact public health or the environment.”

All piggeries are considered “major” projects and must have a Land Use Permit.

“If a piggery cannot meet setback requirements or provide proper waste management, it must be closed permanently and the Land Use Permit will be denied.

“The objective is to manage pig waste in an environmentally responsible manner, which protects people from serious diseases such as: Leptospirosis, Gastroenteritis, Cholera, Dysentery, Infectious Hepatitis and Salmonellosis. Pathogens from pig waste can infect a person through the skin, eyes, mouth and nose.

“These pathogens often appear in our surface water (i.e. storm water, streams or water bodies) as a direct result of unsafe pig waste disposal practices.”

According to the AS-EPA, pigs generate a more concentrated effluent than humans. For this reason, all three approved piggery designs include composting as a pig waste management technique.

“Composting is important because it minimizes contact between environmental hazards associated with pig waste contamination in our water.

“It is a dry process, which reduces odors and wards off vermin such as flies and carry disease. It kills pathogens that are found in pig waste, and that compost can be used as a fertilizer for plants.”