Proper disposal of animal carcasses: what is the “best” method?
18-05-2020
How knowledgeable are you about animal carcass disposal options? Anyone who works at farms, slaughterhouses, or just about anywhere within the food and agricultural industry has to be prepared for a process known as “mortality management”. This means planning in advance for any potential losses that could occur due to accidents, natural disasters, diseases, or even fights among the animals. This way, you won’t be taken by surprise when you have to find an efficient solution for the carcass disposal of dead animals.
In the following article, you will find all you need to know about the proper disposal of animal carcasses, the different options available to you, as well as the method we think is best at Celitron. We’ve reaches a sizable level of know-how about animal waste removal over the years to help you out in the way that suits your needs the best!
About carcass disposal in general
IMPORTANT: be sure to be up-to-date on your country’s policy regarding the exact rules of the removal of dead animals! In most cases, it should come as no surprise that you are responsible for finding a solution as soon as possible after the animal’s death. Abandoning the carcass isn’t acceptable, and is punished by the law. Which is why it is even more important that you have an available method before the issue of carcass disposal even occurs.
The safe removal of dead animals is an important issue that cannot be underestimated. Improper disposal methods could result in the spread of infections or diseases towards the other animals, or in some cases, even humans. You would also risk harming the quality of the air and water around the area of the carcasses in question.
Each carcass disposal option has certain advantages and disadvantages, which we will discuss further below. Despite the different pros and cons, we at Celitron believe that there is one method that still manages to rise above the rest.
In the case of animal diseases like ASF, Newcastle, H1N1, it is even more important to find the safest carcass disposal approach possible, especially since the removal of infectous dead animals has even stricter rules about handling. We will also address this issue, by presenting you with a method that adheres to even the strictest set of regulations.
Dead animal carcass disposal options – advantages and disadvantages
Without further ado, let’s dive into the proper disposal methods of carcasses!
Animal carcass disposal through landfills
Landfills are certainly an option to consider, but know that this in alternative that can be accessed only in certain locations, as not all municipal landfills accept dead animal carcasses. Not to mention, that even if they do, it may be quite expensive. Always check for the individual requirements of the landfill you intend to use, as you may be asked to use methods like the double bagging of carcasses.
Dead animal removal can be solved through direct transportation to landfills, but the pickup-service has to be a licensed collector. If the process is properly managed, landfilling can be a suitable option for disposing of infectious carcasses in times of outbreak, but improper handling can pose a serious biohazardous risk to animals and humans alike.
In short, while the option is certainly on the table, the costs and the time needed to handle carcass disposal through landfills certainly don’t make this method the most attractive one.
Animal carcass disposal through burial
Watch out with this one! Carcass burial is prohibited in the European Union and certain states, as it may adversely affect the quality of the soil and water near the burial sites. However, it is still an accepted form of animal waste disposal in certain countries if you have suffered massive losses and need to deal with them as soon as possible.
In the countries where this is an approved carcass disposal method, “pit burial” is actually widely used at huge agricultural facilities that have a great number of animals at their site. It can be done quickly and easily, but unless you’re doing it in a region where the water table is deep and the soil is non-porous, it won’t be quite as practical. In such cases, you will have to take other factors into account, like reinforcing the sides of the pit.
In short, carcass disposal through burial has the potential to be a good waste removal method, but its limited accessibility and strict regulation prevent it from being the best.
Animal carcass disposal through incinerators
On-site and mobile incinerators are actually quite a popular way of dealing with the removal of dead animals. It is one of the safest way to handle the risks associated with carcass disposal, as it utterly destroys any trace of animal waste, whether it is infectious or not. However they are also expensive to operate, and often require a permit to be operated. Certain guidelines must also be followed to avoid and/or limit air pollution, and improper operation can lead to some very bad odors.
In short, incineration is a very effective carcass disposal method, but its price, potential environmental impact, and lack of useful by-product treatment make it obsolete compared to more modern solutions.
Animal carcass disposal through rendering – the best method?
So what could be an even better solution than incinerators? How about an automatic, user- and eco-friendly rendering facility that follows all EU and WHO regulations? It may sound too good to be true, but is very real indeed: this is Celitron’s ISS AGRI Facility!
The benefits of opting for this animal waste disposal method are clear: not only is it a lot cheaper to operate in the long run and 100% environmentally safe, it can effectively take care of all your carcass disposal issues at the same level as incinerators! What’s more, you also get a blood, bone, and feather meal processing plant within the same vessel!
In short, animal waste rendering is not only extremely effective to dispose of even infectious carcasses, it is also an ideal method to get useful animal by-products by not letting everything go to waste. For more details, check out all our carcass rendering options HERE!