So. Korea: Public health worries after foot and mouth burials

[Shiloh]

Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/feb/15/south-korea-foot-mouth-mesmer

Public health worries after foot and mouth epidemic in South Korea

Government criticised for slow response as burial of infected carcasses threatens water supply
* Philippe Mesmer
* Guardian Weekly, Tuesday 15 February 2011 14.03 GMT



The severe foot and mouth epidemic that started in South Korea at the end of November could have even more serious repercussions for public health. Some 3m head of livestock have already been slaughtered but now the environment ministry is concerned about burial of the carcasses.

Under the pressure of events some cattle were buried alive and the authorities sometimes failed to take the necessary precautions: digging pits four or five metres deep and lining them with two layers of plastic sheeting. Farm animals were buried at more than 4,000 sites, often in easily accessible spots, for instance beside rivers...

 

[Shiloh]

Re: So. Korea: Public health worries after foot and mouth burials

Source: http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110217000811

FMD burial sites near Han River ‘insecure’
2011-02-17 18:24


One in three sites in region poses risk of contaminants leaking into waterways

About one out of every three sampled burial sites near the Han River for animals slaughtered to prevent spread of foot-and-mouth disease needs additional measures to block leakage of contaminants, the Ministry of Environment said Thursday.

But the authorities confirmed that the water from the vicinity, which is the source of tap water used in Seoul and the metropolitan area, is safe...


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Source: http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/business/2011/02/17/44/0501000000AEN20110217008800315F.HTML

Gov't says 27 livestock burial sites near water source need maintenance
By Kim Eun-jung

SEOUL, Feb. 17 (Yonhap) -- Twenty-seven livestock burial sites near the upper region of the Han River, which runs through Seoul, need maintenance work to prevent landfill leachate from polluting drinking water or nearby streams, the Ministry of Environment said Thursday.

The ministry has conducted an extensive survey of burial sites for cows and pigs culled to prevent the further spread of food and mouth disease (FMD) amid concerns that reckless burials may cause a massive environmental disaster. Impromptu burial sites have been dug into slopes or groundwater reservoir feeds due to a lack of space to contain the volume of infected livestock in the crowded country....

 

[Shiloh]

Re: So. Korea: Public health worries after foot and mouth burials

Source: http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2011/02/113_81657.html

02-18-2011 18:31
All burial sites to be inspected over FMD contamination

By Kim Tae-jong

Hundreds of eagles were seen flying over the burial sites of pigs and cows as the stench of the dead animal corpses filled the air. Residents living near such burial sites where the herds were buried to stem the spread of foot-and mouth-disease saw their tap water sometimes flow mixed with blood and smelling putrid.

These are some of the recent reports from the epidemic-hit villages, which raise concerns about a catastrophic environmental aftermath ? massive contamination of soil and water.

To rectify the situation, the government has vowed to conduct an inspection of all the 4,500 burial sites across the nation and ?repair? them, if necessary. ..

 

[makoto]

Re: So. Korea: Public health worries after foot and mouth burials

Sloppy burials of culled livestock in South Korea threaten environment

SEOUL--With foot-and-mouth disease spreading like wildfire among livestock, South Korea faces a major health scare due to the careless destruction of infected animals.

"Water came out that was mixed with blood," one citizen complained after turning on tap water.
Health authorities have been inundated with complaints from citizens....

asahi com http://www.asahi.com/english/TKY201102180253.html

 

[Pathfinder]

Re: So. Korea: Public health worries after foot and mouth burials

2011/03/29 17:22 KST

Massive water pollution detected near livestock burial sites

SEOUL, March 29 (Yonhap) -- A large number of underground water sources near livestock burial sites nationwide have shown high rates of organic contaminants, the Environment Ministry said Tuesday, raising concern over widespread environmental pollution caused by livestock disease and culling.

The ministry and a state water research center said they have jointly examined water quality at about 3,000 underground water sources within a 300-meter radius of animal burial sites across the nation to see whether they were affected by the massive burial of animals.

According to their first assessment, 143 sources showed high rates of bacteriological contamination beyond water quality standards set by the environment authority.

More...
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/national/2011/03/29/0/0302000000AEN20110329010000315F.HTML