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Typically, the word lagoon is defined as "a relatively shallow body of water separated from the open ocean, usually by long, narrow barrier islands or by coral atolls." And, I might add, you never know what you might find in a lagoon.
In eco-terms, a lagoon is "a shallow pond used to store wastewater where sunlight and biological activity decompose the waste." Such lagoons are designed to dispose of animal waste (usually that of cows and pigs) and are called anaerobic.
Waste is washed into anaerobic lagoons "by flushing the animal pens with water. Solid waste, particularly the fibrous type of cows, is sometimes separated before the wastewater enters the lagoon to prevent the buildup of solid material. Anaerobic organisms naturally present in the manure and the environment decompose the waste in the anaerobic conditions of the lagoon." Click here for a comprehensive list of wastewater treatment technologies.
Of course, to eliminate the need to deal with all that animal waste, go vegan.
