Stricter ammonia and odor controls create a clearer role for electrolyzed water

China is tightening ammonia and odor controls on livestock and poultry farms. Recent regulations and standards are moving oversight beyond odor complaints and reactive inspections toward clearer legal responsibilities, quantified emissions, and stronger enforcement across farm operations.

In September 2026, the National Animal Husbandry Service issued Ten Model Approaches to Odor and Ammonia Control in Livestock and Poultry Farming (Mu Zhan (Lü) [2026] No. 98). The guidance includes acidic electrolyzed water, primarily hypochlorous acid (HOCl) solutions, in several recommended approaches. Together with the Ecological and Environmental Code and new emissions accounting guidelines, this gives HOCl a more clearly recognized role in efforts to control ammonia and odors together.

Legal responsibilities for ammonia and odor control

The Ecological and Environmental Code of the People’s Republic of China took effect on August 15, 2026, further establishing the legal responsibility of livestock and poultry operators to control odor and ammonia emissions. Operators that exceed emission limits or fail to provide the required odor-control measures face fines ranging from RMB 10,000 to RMB 1 million.

For farm businesses, ammonia and odor control is therefore an ongoing compliance obligation, rather than an issue to address only when complaints arise.

Accounting guidelines make emissions quantifiable

The Ministry of Ecology and Environment published the Technical Guidelines for Calculating Ammonia Emissions from Large-Scale Livestock and Poultry Farms (Trial), HJ 1434—2025, on December 26, 2025. The guidelines took effect on March 1, 2026.

The accounting framework includes measures such as spraying inside animal housing and treating exhaust air before discharge. It supports environmental impact assessments, pollutant discharge permits, emission reduction records, and regulatory verification, making ammonia emissions easier to quantify and check.

Applications such as HOCl spraying and water-curtain systems can thus be considered within a formal framework for calculating emission reductions. This gives farms a basis for documenting their ammonia-control measures and demonstrating the resulting reductions.