#15,588
Whether we are talking about tens of millions of HPAI infected poultry in America's heartland, millions of FMD infected livestock in South Korea, or millions of COVID infected mink in Denmark, the problem is the same; how do you humanely cull and then dispose of tons of infected carcasses?
In the summer of 2015, in Debating The Humane Methods Of Depopulating Infected Chickens, we looked at a disturbing – yet potentially necessary – option for quickly depopulating hundreds of thousands (even millions) of poultry who are infected with highly infectious HPAI viruses.
But even after that job is done, the disposal of millions of infected carcasses must be accomplished in a way that avoids reintroduction of the virus into the environment. Unfortunately, in too many places around the world, culled livestock are simply dumped into rivers and lakes, and the diseases continue to spread.
Incineration is considered the safesr way to dispose of infected carcasses, and many countries have mobile incineration units, but isn't really practical on a large scale.
Earlier this month Denmark announced they had the capacity to incinerate 100,000 mink a day - but with 17,000,000 ordered destroyed, it would take 170 days to accomplish the task.
During South Korea's 2010-2011 FMD outbreak roughly 3.5 million animals were destroyed (151,425 cattle, 3,318,299 pigs, 8,071 goats, and 2,728 deer) and buried at more than four thousand locations around the country (see EID Journal Control of Foot-and-Mouth Disease during 2010–2011 Epidemic, South Korea).Onsite burial (or transported to a landfill) is often an acceptable alternative, although it must be done properly to avoid environmental contamination.
But in 2018's Frontiers: Two Studies On The Epidemiology of Avian Influenza Viruses, we looked at the challenges of doing it safely (see Garbage Management: An Important Risk Factor for HPAI-Virus Infection in Commercial Poultry Flocks).
After the lessons from North America's Epizootic, the USDA's APHIS issued updated Landfill Disposal Guidance—Recommended Waste Acceptance Practices for Landfills.
Because of the perceived urgency over their mink mutations, Danish officials pivoted from incineration to onsite burial of COVID infected mink earlier this month. But things have not gone smoothly.
- The Presidential order to cull 17 million mink was later determined illegal, and modified to a `recommendation' pending legislative action.
- Agriculture Minister Mogens Jensen resigned following the furor over the illegal cull.
- Several million mink that were culled under the original order were hastily buried, including (reportedly) one site near a recreational lake and another close to a drinking water source.
- In recent days there have been reports of improperly buried carcasses popping to the surface as they decomposed, presenting an environmental (and possibly infectious) hazard, and inciting a plethora of `zombie mink rising from the grave' stories in the popular press.
While the number of `zombie' mink resurfacing has reportedly been small (a few hundred) - and it seems unlikely all of the mink will be exhumed and incinerated - Denmark's DVFA (Danish Veterinary and Food Administration) does accept that at least one burial site was inappropriate.
Problem with mink buried too close to lake must be solved as soon as possible
Some of the mink buried in an area by Holstebro are too close to the nearby Boutrup Lake. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is working on solutions. (press release issued by the Ministry of the Environment and Food)News , Published: November 26, 2020
Gutters for killed mink have been dug too close to Boutrup lake in a military training ground in Holstebro in West Jutland.
With advice from the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is taking care of the problem so that the lake does not risk being polluted with e.g. phosphorus and nitrogen from the dead mink.
- This must be resolved as soon as possible, and therefore action must be taken immediately. It is a very unfortunate situation, and it is important that the best possible solution is found quickly, so that the citizens of the area can safely count on the water in the lake being clean. In addition, we must discuss the situation with the local authorities to ensure the best possible coordination and to get as many brains as possible to think with, says Minister of Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Rasmus Prehn.
Precautionary considerations of 300 meters
In connection with the burial in the area, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency, for precautionary reasons, set a distance requirement for the lake of 300 meters.
However, parts of the burials are less than 200 meters from the lake.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is now clarifying with the Danish Environmental Protection Agency how the situation is handled in the best possible way. Among other things, it is being considered whether drainage pipes should be established that ensure that the polluting liquid is collected and cleaned so that it does not come close to the lake.
- It is important to emphasize that this does not spread corona infection. What we must ensure is that the lake is not polluted with i.a. nitrogen and phosphorus, and there are a number of different solutions to this. In this connection, we have asked the Danish Environmental Protection Agency to contribute to the assessment of any risks to the water quality in the lake, says the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration's director, Nikolaj Veje.
The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration will also carry out an EIA assessment to review the professional assessments already made, qualify any remedial measures and ensure openness in relation to the public.
As a supervisory authority, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency has already decided to initiate environmental monitoring of the lake and a study of the groundwater in particular.
More soil in the gutters
There are also problems in the same area with dead mink being pressed up against the soil surface after they have been dug down.
As recommended, the gutters are dug approx. two and a half meters down with one and a half to two meters of soil on top of the buried mink. This is considered to be a temporary problem related to the animals' putrefaction process. To avoid any problems for animals and humans, the area will be staffed 24 hours a day until fences are set up around the area.
The National Operating Staff, which has coordinated the mink burials, is aware of the challenges and the dead mink are being covered on an ongoing basis.
Over the past 10 years we've seen major animal cull and disposal problems due to Avian Flu, FMD, African Swine Fever, and now COVID-19. Events such as these are only likely to increase in frequency and scope in the years ahead, and we need to be a lot better prepared to deal with them.
