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 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. This is because organic free-range models need more chickens for the same number of eggs produced, as birds living in cages tend to be more efficient. Organic free-range production also scored worst in its potential for water eutrophication, acidification and land use. Chicken mortality was also highest in organic free range farming, the researchers said. However, the study used data from 2009-2010, which the researchers acknowledged as a limitation as it did not capture more recent developments in egg production. The research also did not take into account other environmental impacts such as pesticides or biodiversity. Laying hens are the largest group of animals kept in cages across the world, and gl

Jul 29, 2026 → Aug 14, 2026