2015 fall conference: avian influenza-usda

Protecting Animal Agriculture

Carcass Management and HPAI 2015 Challenges

October 14, 2015

Lori P. Miller, PE USDA APHIS

[email protected]


0 ft BGS

10 ft BGS

30 ft BGS

35 BGS

❶BARN HOME

LEACHATE/ GROUNDWATER

Burial Effect on Environment

Property values? Clean-Up Liability?


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)


Permitted Landfill


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


Report 2Jun15


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


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.


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)


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

2015 fall conference: avian influenza-usda

Government & Nonprofit