Ammonia emission from livestock production in Poland and its regional diversity, in the years 2005-2017

Agriculture is a significant source of gaseous pollutants such as ammonia, methane, nitrous oxide and volatile organic compounds. Ammonia is particularly important due to the high emission and local, as well as global impact on the environment. The release of NH3 is one of the main ways of nitrogen emission to the atmosphere and it contributes to its subsequent deposition. The aim of the study was to analyze ammonia emissions from animal production in Poland in 2005-2017, its regional diversity and possibilities of its reduction in agriculture. The ammonia emission was calculated for the animal production groups according to the NFR classification. The values of ammonia emission were calculated based on ammonia emission factors used by KOBIZE, in accordance with the EMEP/EEA methods. In 2017, the NH3 emission from Polish apiculture amounted 288 Gg and it accounted for 96% of the emission in 2005. Ammonia emission from livestock production. in 2005-2017, on average accounted for 79.8% of agricultural emissions. The largest share had the cattle (51%) and swine (30%) production. The NH3 emissions differed strongly between provinces. The emission density (kg NH3.km(-2).year(-1)) in provinces with intensive livestock production was about 5.5 times higher than in regions, where livestock production was the lowest. The mitigation strategies should be implemented primarily in provinces where reduction potential is the largest. The assessment of the reduction potential should take into account the NH3 emission per 1 km(2) and the low NH3 emission technologies, which are already applied in the regions.