Environmental concerns in the disposal of poultry affected by bird flu

[Pathfinder]

How did Iowa’s Avian Flu outbreak get so bad?

May 3, 2015 at 4:07 PM EDT

Iowa, the country's largest egg-producing state, declared a major outbreak of the Avian Flu. And to try and contain the disease, millions of chickens and turkeys there and in Wisconsin and Minnesota have been killed. Amy Mayer, a reporter for Harvest Public Media at Iowa Public Radio joins Hari Sreenivasan via Skype from Ames, Iowa, to discuss.

TRANSCRIPT
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HARI SREENIVASAN: Now, there is currently no threat to humans, but are people concerned, in the disposal of these chickens or these turkeys or these birds, how do we get rid of them, and how do we get rid of them in a safe way?

AMY MAYER: That is a big concern.

As you mentioned, the concern is not right now that there would be a problem with human health, but there are environmental concerns that need to be considered.

There’s four basic ways that our Department of Natural Resources has determined the birds can be disposed of. The first would be to compost on site, usually within the enclosure.

The second is on-site burial. The third would be incineration. That might involve bringing a kiln to the property to incinerate the birds. And the fourth would be taking them to a landfill.

With each of those, there are concerns. For example, with burial, you have to be mindful of the water table and how deep you are going to bury the birds to prevent water pollution.

With incineration, obviously, there need to be properly air handlers to prevent any sort of air pollution.

And, for example, landfills would mean moving the birds. And there is still concern that, even from a dead bird, the live virus might possibly be able to be moved, because they really haven’t identified exactly what the transmission processes are.

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Video and full text:
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/iowas...break-get-bad/

 

[Pathfinder]

Iowa officials mull over bird flu disposal methods

Published 3:10 PM CDT May 06, 2015

Iowa officials are in the middle of a massive undertaking: working to dispose of more than 21 million chickens and turkeys affected by the H5N2 bird flu outbreak in the state.
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"We have tremendous abilities, in terms of our mapping capabilities, so it helps us determine what areas might be suitable for burial, if that's one of the options that's being looked at," said Kevin Baskins of the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Leaders said they want to protect Iowa's surface water, groundwater and air quality.

http://www.ketv.com/news/iowa-officials-mull-over-bird-flu-disposal-methods/32846926

 

[Pathfinder]

Help with disposal may be coming as bird flu cases mount

Donnelle Eller, deller@dmreg.com 6:25 p.m. CDT May 6, 2015
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The Iowa Department of Natural Resources has issued three temporary permits to a Massachusetts company that would allow it to set up large portable incinerators in Sioux, Kossuth and Cherokee counties to help in the disposal of several million infected birds that have died from the disease or have been destroyed to prevent its spread.

A fourth permit for another incinerator is possible, depending on the need, said Kevin Baskins, a DNR spokesman.

The permits comes as some landfill operators hesitate to accept the growing number of dead birds, fearing contamination.
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In a letter to state landfills Wednesday, Iowa DNR Director Chuck Gipp and Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey say producers need all the disposal options available ? landfill, onsite burial, composting and incineration ? given the ?unprecedented volume? of birds that have been infected.
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Oldenkamp said chief among concerns is whether transporting and disposing of birds infected with H5N2 could infect poultry operations near the landfill.
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Oldenkamp said biosecurity around infected birds slated to be transported is tight. The birds are placed in ?Bio-Zip? bags that decrease the time it takes to compost them, pushing temperatures high enough that also kill the virus. Veterinarians have said that the virus doesn?t live long outside a living host.

Baskins, the DNR spokesman, said the birds must sit for three days so high temperatures inside the bag will kill the virus before they?re moved.

Landfills also are required to meet certain biosecurity protocols, such as segregating the dead birds and immediately burying them, Baskins said. Trucks also must be disinfected before they leave the landfill sites as well.

Oldenkamp said his board is concerned about the disposed birds? impact on water that might leach from the landfill. That water is collected and treated off-site.
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...sal-may-coming-bird-flu-cases-mount/70915262/

 

[Pathfinder]

Decomposing Turkeys and Chickens Lead to Odors, Flies

DES MOINES, Iowa ? May 7, 2015, 1:42 PM ET

By DAVID PITT Associated Press
Associated Press

Millions of dead chickens and turkeys lie in stinking, fly-swarmed piles near dozens of Iowa farms, casualties of a bird flu virus that's swept through the state's large poultry operations in the last month.

Contractors hired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture move methodically from barn to barn at the 28 farms, killing the animals that haven't yet died from the H5N2 virus ? a suffocating foam for turkeys, carbon dioxide gas to asphyxiate chickens. Neighbors say they understand the challenge the state's producers face in disposing of more than 20 million bird carcasses, but are eager for quick action, especially as temperatures rise.

"People in low-lying areas near those facilities have contacted me complaining about a very large number of flies and, until the wind comes up and goes the right direction, a lingering odor," said Sen. David Johnson, whose northwest Iowa district includes Sunrise Farms ? where 3.8 million chickens in 20 barns are dead or dying.

There are few details about how the carcasses are being handled; some are piled up and covered with dirt or other material, turkeys are often composted inside barns and at least one chicken farm is burying them in trenches. The Iowa Department of Natural Resources is working with area landfills on agreements to dispose of poultry inside plastic bio-bags and has approved permits for a company to operate portable incinerators in three counties, with the possibility of a fourth roving incinerator.

But one thing is clear, according to Ken Hessenius, a DNR environmental supervisor: "We've got to look at all methods of disposal here to deal with this. It truly is a crisis. It's an extremely difficult situation for all these farms."

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http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/decomposing-turkeys-chickens-lead-odors-flies-30877489

 

[Pathfinder]

Local landfill considered as bird flu burial grounds

Posted: Thursday, May 7, 2015 1:11 pm
Mike Peterson
Posted on May 7, 2015by Mike Peterson

(Des Moines) -- At least one KMAland landfill may serve as the final resting place for poultry victimized by the bird flu.
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Costello says an agreement must be reached between the state and Iowa Waste Systems, the landfill's owner, before it would be used...

"We're finding out so much new information," said Costello. "With six new facilities affected as of Wednesday night, and approximately 31 million birds so far involved, they need to be taken care of in some way. This is one of the possibilities. There are other landfills being considered around the state, as well."
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Costello adds he and fellow lawmakers are concerned about the disease's spread.

"This is uncharted territory," he said. "It's moving so fast--in three weeks, it's gone to this huge number. We're not sure how it's spreading yet, and we've never seen anything of that magnitude before...

http://www.kmaland.com/news/local-l...cle_6cc0b120-f4e4-11e4-ba31-a747187f73fe.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Dead birds might be driven 200 miles to SW Iowa landfill

Donnelle Eller, deller@dmreg.com 6:22 p.m. CDT May 7, 2015

As many as 3.5 million birds destroyed or killed by avian influenza outbreaks in northwest Iowa may be driven across the state and disposed of in a private landfill in Mills County.
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Richard Crouch, chairman of the Mills County Board of Supervisors, said he would prevent the birds from being moved to his southwest Iowa county if he could.

"Why would you want to bring in several million birds" potentially still carrying bird flu, he asked.
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...7/avian-influenza-landfill-disposal/70967362/

 

[sharon sanders]

They need to dispose of the birds on site. Transporting the dead birds could spread the disease along the way. The virus might be found in the feather quills and these are very hard to control. This is the experience in Indonesia.

Please see:
[h=2]Avian influenza virus (H5N1) replication in feathers of domestic waterfowl.[/h]
https://flutrackers.com/forum/forum...replication-in-feathers-of-domestic-waterfowl

 

[Pathfinder]

Nebraska landfill rejects carcasses of infected Iowa birds

Associated Press 12:03 p.m. CDT May 12, 2015

JACKSON, Neb. —...

The landfill's owner said he considered disposing some of the carcasses at the site, but decided against it after Nebraska officials raised objections.

Spokesman Brian McManus with the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality said officials worried that transporting the birds could expose poultry farms along or near the route to the landfill to the virus. He said that's why the department strongly recommends on-site burial of such carcasses.
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/sto...iowa/27176885/

 

[Pathfinder]

Birds to be incinerated at Cherokee Landfill

Thursday, May 14, 2015
By Ken Ross
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The transport of bird carcasses and operation of the incinerator will be conducted by Clean Harbors, Inc., a waste disposal company with locations throughout the United States and Canada, according to Dustin Vande Hoef of the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship. The capacity of the incinerator to be located in Cherokee County is estimated at 40 to 50 tons per hour.

Brent Cash, Cherokee County Landfill manager, said that components of the incinerator to be operated by Clean Harbors have started to arrive. Once it is operational, it will be running 24 hours a day, according to Cash.
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http://www.chronicletimes.com/story/2195383.html

 

[Emily]

[h=1]Clean up effort continues as more cases of bird flu identified[/h] May 13, 2015 By Dar Danielson
... He says each site is different when it comes to dealing with the birds. ?We?re seeing all different methods used,? Northey says. That includes composting, which happens in the buildings for turkeys, they are some that are buried on the farm and some are incinerated or heated. He says more incinerators are coming to help handle the material.
Many of the animals are being sent to a landfill. ?There are several landfills that are interested, the D.O.T. will manage the route,? Northey explains. ?The landfills are in conversation with U.S.D.A. right now about how they can safely take that material.? ...

http://www.radioiowa.com/2015/05/13/clean-up-effort-continues-as-more-cases-of-bird-flu-identified/

Numbers from article:

21-22 million chickens in laying houses
600,000 pullets
750,000 turkeys counted, possibly another 150,000 uncounted

 

[Pathfinder]

Two landfills slated to accept birds killed by virus

Donnelle Eller, deller@dmreg.com 9:27 p.m. CDT May 20, 2015

Two landfills in different corners of Iowa got the green light from state and federal officials Wednesday to begin accepting some of the millions of birds killed in the avian influenza outbreak.

Northwest Iowa Area Solid Waste Agency and Iowa Waste Systems have agreed to accept some of the 27 million chickens, turkeys and ducks that have been infected by avian influenza, a state official says.
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State and federal officials have struggled to find landfills willing to accept the birds as the deadly, fast-spreading disease has hit Iowa...

Iowa producers are composting and burying the dead birds on site as well as incinerating them. Wednesday's decision allows landfilling for the first time.
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The plan to transport infected birds 200 miles to Iowa Waste Systems' landfill near Malvern in southwest Iowa has upset local residents and state and county officials...

"It's a big, scary deal," said Rep. David Sieck, R-Glenwood. Despite assurances that water from the birds will never leave the landfill, Sieck said he and local residents are concerned about possible long-term water contamination from the birds.

"I don't want the birds headed my way. I'm getting calls and emails from residents and poultry producers every day," Sieck said. "But at this point, I'm going to trust what I've been told from the experts. I don't know what else you can do with that many dead chickens sitting around."
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http://www.desmoinesregister.com/st...ls-slated-accept-birds-killed-virus/27680939/