Organic eggs have worse impact on climate than eggs from caged chickens
A study suggests that organic free-range egg production has a higher environmental impact than caged systems due to increased land use, water eutrophication, and greenhouse gas emissions. Researchers noted that organic models require more chickens to produce the same volume of eggs, though the study relied on older data.
Why it matters
The findings challenge the common assumption that organic farming is universally more sustainable, highlighting the complex trade-offs between animal welfare and environmental impact.
Organic free-range production also scored worst in its potential for water eutrophication, acidification and land use. Organic free-range production also scored worst in its potential for water eutrophication, acidification and land use. Environment Organic eggs have worse impact on climate than eggs from caged chickens Adopting organic free-range model in UK could lead to greenhouse emissions equivalent to 2,316,000 tonnes of CO2, study suggests
Prefer the Guardian on Google Organic eggs are twice as bad for the climate as eggs from chickens living in cages, research suggests.
According to the study, switching the UK’s entire egg production to an organic free-range model would lead to greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to 2,316,000 tonnes of CO2 (tCO2e), while production through a fully caged system would emit 1,184,000 tCO2e.
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