Mortality Disposal and its Implications on Human, Animal and ...

Do Burial <strong>and</strong> Composting Have the SameWater- NutrientsBODTOCPathogensEnvironmental <strong>Implications</strong>?Soil-Air-NutrientsPathogensOdor EmissionsTraffic- NoiseCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Do Drugs Used in Livestock ProductionBehave Differently in the Carcasses ofComposted or Buried Animals?Euthanasia Drugs: BarbituratesNon-Steroidal Anti-InflammatoryDrugs (NSAIDs)WormersCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Composting, Done Properly, is Safe for Humans,Animals <strong>and</strong> the EnvironmentSITE SELECTIONCARBON SOURCESMake sure you are not close to wells,streams, water bodies. Check depthto groundwater. Look for plants thatindicate wet areas.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduNot all carbon sources are created equal.Carbon sources include: Wood Chips,Shavings, Sawdust, Refused feed, SpoiledSilage, Chopped Cornstalk, Nut Hulls,Partially Composted Material-HOT

<strong>Mortality</strong> Composting StepsLay 24-in bed of bulky, absorbingorganic material containing somesizeable pieces. Place animal inthe center of the bed.Lance the rumenCover the carcass with dry, highcarbonmaterial.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

This method allows for good aeration which createshigh temperatures, destroys pathogens <strong>and</strong> createsa biofilter to alleviate odors.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Some Best Management PracticesIncorporate dead stock in atimely fashion.Large, poorly shaped piles are notefficientCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Some Best Management Practices: Ground <strong>and</strong>Surface Water ProtectionFilter StripsCompost Berms <strong>and</strong> SocksBerms for Diversion Off-siteGrading/ Slope 1-2%Collection LagoonsCollection TanksSite MaintenanceLAGOONBERMCOMPOST BERMPhoto by Bob RynkCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduMOWED SITE

Above Ground BurialThree Research ProjectsLeachate Qualityduring CompostingCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduFate of Drugs inComposting

Above Ground Burial Study•Dimensions are 30’ wide by 15’ deep with3--54” containment walls•The pad has a 1% slope to the west wallwith four 4” pipes incorporated fordraining leachate toward a vegetated filterstrip.• Very little carbon was used, <strong>and</strong> thecontainment was packed with carcasses.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

C:N Ratio, Number of Animals, GoodCoverCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Run-Off from Above Ground BurialCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Next season when Using it Correctly???Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Leachate Quality Results:Above Ground BurialDate TKN (mg/l) NH4-N(mg/l)Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduP (mg/l)BOD(mg/l)TOC (mg/l)06/02/08 3,300 1,100 70 4,700 7,70009/29/08 640 52 930 4,60010/02/08 6,000 4,200 440 21,000 74011/12/08 3,000 1,800 92 3,500 8,100Date pH NO3-N(mg/l)Chloride(mg/l)Fecal Coliform(log10 cfu/ml)06/02/08 7.9 3.8 1,900 3.009/29/08 8.4 15.0 2,300 < 2.010/02/08 6.4 31.0 710 > 3.011/12/08 8.3 16.6 2,000 < 2.0

Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduWell Used Bins

Leachate Quality Assessment Study2- 15’ x 8’ rectangles were marked out;holes were drilled at the point ofcollection <strong>and</strong> 5-gallon buckets lined withgarbage bags were placed in each hole.Plots were curbed with wooden <strong>and</strong> steelbeams that were 6” tall.Heavy 6 mil black plastic was used to linethe plots.24” base layer of woodchips was laid ineach of the plotsCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Leachate Quality Assessment StudyTwo deer were placed on the woodchipsas the first layer in the plot on the westend. The plot on the east end was“woodchips only”.Data logger temperature probes wereplaced in both piles.Riverhead, NY – Blue <strong>and</strong> Green funding12” of woodchips were laid on top to cover the first deer layer2 more deer were placed in the 2 nd layer in the road-kill pile.Both piles were covered with an additional 24” of woodchips.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduLeachate Quality Results:Road-kill Compost versus WoodchipsOnlyTKN (mg/l)NH4-N(mg/l)P (mg/l) BOD (mg/l) TOC (mg/l)Date Deer Chips Deer Chips Deer Chips Deer Chips Deer Chips04/14/08 703 36 213 11 44 10 4,067 487 1,73304/29/08 75 7 38 1 17 1 333 48 230 3605/19/08 14 13 3 2 3 2 27 24 95 16306/06/08 32 16 9 5 6 2 101 47 177 17373

Comparison of Nitrogen (TKN) in <strong>Mortality</strong> Compost<strong>and</strong> Above Ground BurialCompostAbove Ground BurialCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduX-axis is 10 times the order ofmagnitude here versus the compost.

Comparison of Ammonia Nitrogen (NH4-N) in<strong>Mortality</strong> Compost <strong>and</strong> Above Ground BurialCompostAbove Ground BurialCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduX-axis is 10 times the order ofmagnitude here versus the compost.

Comparison of Biological Oxygen Dem<strong>and</strong> (BOD) in<strong>Mortality</strong> Compost <strong>and</strong> Above Ground BurialCompostAbove Ground BurialCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduX-axis is 10 times the order ofmagnitude here versus the compost.

Fate of Drugs StudyA 20’ x 21’ piece of 10 mil plasticsheeting was laid down. A hole was dugat the low end of the pad, under theplastic for leachate/runoff collection.A 24” bed of wood chips was laid on theplastic.A 27 year old 1000 lb Appaloosa wasinjected with 120 ml Fatal Plus at 390mg/ml Pentobarbital Sodium.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Fate of Drugs StudyThe liver was removed, cut into pieces<strong>and</strong> put back in the horse for retrieval atvarious intervals.A separate 4 foot hole was dug in whichliver samples were placed to simulateburial.Data logger temperature probes wereplaced in both the compost pile <strong>and</strong> inthe “burial hole” to record hourlytemperature.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Fate of Drugs StudyThe horse was then covered with 24” ofwood chips, <strong>and</strong> the plastic liner wastightened by rolling it over <strong>and</strong> underwooden fence posts.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Temperature <strong>and</strong> RainfallCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Pentobarbital (ppm) in Liver SamplesDecay rate of pentobarbital:In the pile – 2.2% per dayIn the burial hole – 18.4% per dayCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Pentobarbital in LeachateDecay rate of pentobarbital: 20% per dayCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Phenylbutazone (ppb) in Liver SamplesDecay rate of phenylbutazone:In the pile – 16.0% per dayIn the burial hole – 29.8% per dayCornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

<strong>Mortality</strong> CompostingWhen done properly, mortality compostingprotects ground <strong>and</strong> surface water.Composting of euthanizedlivestock appears tobreakdown both pentobarbital<strong>and</strong> phenylbutazone, thusrendering the finished productsafe for wildlife <strong>and</strong> domesticanimals.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.eduHorse pile opened after 7 months of composting

Conclusions• There was still Pentobarbital in the leachate<strong>and</strong> in compost samples (0.17ppm). Rate wasvery low but we were not sure if it degradedor if filtered into the soil below.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

Second Trial• Trial with a horse enveloped in woodchipseuthanized but left intact with leachatecollection in a woodchip layer- leachate <strong>and</strong>compost samples are being taken.<strong>and</strong>• Euthanized intact cow placed in a pile soilsamples will be taken.Cornell Waste Management Institutecwmi.css.cornell.edu

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