In this work the environmental problems related with hog raising in southern Brazil, the adopted ways of animal care and management, as well as their economic, social and environmental relations are discussed. The highest concentration of national livestock is in the State of Santa Catarina (about 4.5 million), generating approximately 150,000 direct jobs in its 25,000 rural properties. As far as the environment is concerned, hog raising is a sector of low environmental quality, and it covers a wider regional area when compared to other economic activities. Only 15% of the property holders perform some sort of waste management, and in many cases it is carried out in an inappropriate way. Both guidelines and study results are shown in this work, in search of a higher environmental quality for this sector and in order to prevent and to control environmental pollution according to the farms' characteristics, their locations and the global practices.
waste treatment; pork production; pig pollution
