Protecting Animal Agriculture
Carcass Management and HPAI 2015 Challenges
October 14, 2015
Lori P. Miller, PE USDA APHIS
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Protecting Animal Agriculture
0 ft BGS
10 ft BGS
30 ft BGS
35 BGS
❶BARN HOME
LEACHATE/ GROUNDWATER
Burial Effect on Environment
Property values? Clean-Up Liability?
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Why is nitrogen a problem?
• EPA standard for nitrates in drinking water is 10.0 mg/L • Carcass burial sites generate over 1000 times the
standard • Causes Methemoglobinemia (blue baby syndrome)
which can be fatal to infants • Toxic to aquatic life • Depletes dissolved oxygen in receiving waters • Stimulates aquatic plant growth (eutrophication)
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Permitted Landfill
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Avian Influenza Disposal Decision Tree Is In-House Composting Feasible?
If not, is Outdoor Composting Feasible?
If not, is Onsite Burial permitted?
If not, are Mobile Technologies
available?
If not, are landfills available?
If not, are rendering plants
available?
If not, are incinerators available?
If not, reconsider previous options.
See Checklist to
answer questions
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Report 2Jun15
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Report 2Jun15
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Landfill Challenges • Concerns about risk of infected leachate, protection of
operators, public opposition, and potential lawsuits. • Federal government, state government, and landfill
companies worked together for 42 days to get first load accepted
• During that time, developed waste acceptance criteria to address operational issues,
• Developed safety guidelines for operators with CDC and NIOSH,
• APHIS developed Frequently Asked Questions for public • Landfill companies requested federal indemnification but
APHIS was prohibited by law • State of Iowa agreed to provide indemnity
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Risks from Landfill Leachate • Virus lasts less than 6 days in infected carcass at room temperature
(Busquets et al, 2010); if it takes a day to euthanize, collect, and transport to landfill, there will be 90% (1 log) reduction in virus loading;
• Virus lasts less than 29 days in landfill leachate at 95F, less than 40 days at 70F (Graiver et al, 2009);
• If infected birds are landfilled 30 feet from the leachate collection system, the amount of virus will be reduced 99.9% (3 log reduction) at 95F by the time the leachate reaches the collection system.
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Mitigating Risks from Landfill Leachate
• Burial of waste far (at least 90 feet) from the leachate collection system will further reduce virus concentration due to time at elevated temperatures
• Burial of waste at least 24 ft deep and at least 60 feet from edges of the landfill will ensure elevated temperatures (73F to 135F) (Yesiller et al, 2005) and faster virus inactivation
• Leachate discharged to a pond or wetland will further reduce the virus concentration.
• Landfills that spray concentrated leachate directly from the leachate collection system onto the surface of the landfill can use bird hazing while spraying to avoid exposing mallards (most susceptible species)
Protecting Animal Agriculture
Looking Forward
• Numerous efforts underway to identify and address lessons learned
• Many states are working with local landfills to develop agreements in advance
• This fall could be worse than the spring in terms of number of affected premises
• Landfills are an important option for a successful response