[USCC] Composting Carcasses in Windrows

[Greg Evanylo]

SRMs are certainly serious concerns to the composting industry. I'm 
not suggesting we take these issues lightly, and composting has not 
been shown to be effective at inactivating prions in most studies; 
however, other research has presented some promising results of the effect of
composting: 
http://www.compost.org/pdf/TMcAllister,%20Prion%20Inactivation.pdf; 
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1636000
Soil: 
http://cabiblog.typepad.com/hand_picked/2009/02/the-mighty-prion-may-be-no-more.html

greg

At 04:30 PM 6/29/2009, Helane Shields wrote:
>This is to respond to Ken Powells post regarding composting animal 
>carcasses and the "SRM issue"..     SRM = 'specified risk materials' 
>-  the  parts of the animals most likely to contain prion infected wastes:
>
>
>
>Many experts, including the US Environmental Protection Agency, say 
>composting prion infected wastes is futile - the temperatures are 
>not high enough, the prions survive,  and landspreading this 
>infected compost can put more animals at risk:
>
>EPA Region 8:  "Common methods of waste treatment in sewage 
>treatment plants, or publicly owned treatment works
>(POTWs), and septic systems, as well as landfilling and composting, 
>are ineffective at completely inactivating TSE
>agents (Prusiner 1982; Bellinger-Kawahara et al. 1987; Manuelidis 
>1997; Taylor 2000; Taylor 2001). . ."
>
>National Renderers Assoc. response to USDA and APHIS, June 
>2005:  "While finished compost can be spread on crop
>ground as fertilizer, if prions are present and the compost is used 
>as fertilizer prions can re-enter the food chain through grazing 
>plants and hay and straw obtained from those. Thus, composting 
>should not be used to dispose of CWD deer and elk, sheep and goats 
>with scrapie or cattle with BSE. Composting is especially unsuitable 
>for specified risk materials, especially neural tissues (skull and 
>spinal cord) encased in bones (ref.11). The indiscriminate use of 
>composting and spreading its by-products on agricultural land is 
>inconsistent with the FDA feed rule, would dilute its integrity and 
>invalidate all existing BSE/TSE risk assessment models (ref.8). This 
>is similar to what may have transpired with the CWD material, given 
>the WIDNR disposal policy (refer to 2.3. Controlled Land Fill) was 
>indeed implemented. "
>
>Dr. Paul Gale, UK, DEFRA, May 2002:  " "BSE and scrapie prions and 
>C. botulinum spores are excluded because for
>the purposes of risk assessment they are considered not to be 
>affected by the temperatures achievable by composting
>and biogas processes."
>
>Iowa State:  " Due to many unknown factors regarding the 
>biodegradability of the prions that cause bovine spongiform
>encephalopathy (commonly called BSE or "mad cow" disease), 
>composting should NOT be used for disposal of cattle
>suspected to have BSE."
>
>APHIS/USDA - Jan. 2005:  Anaerobic digestion (of carcasses ). . . 
>"it is necessary to use additional heat at the end of
>the process to fully inactivate pathogens.  However, even with this, 
>prions are not inactivated."
>
>
>US EPA:  "Prions are extremely resistant to inactivation by 
>ultraviolet light, irradiation, boiling, dry heat, formaline,
>freezing, drying and changes in pH. Methods for inactivating prions 
>in infected tissues or wastes include incineration at
>very high temperatures and alkaline hydrolysis. "
>
>
>http://www.sludgevictims.com/pathogens/prions-composting.html
>
>Further,  prions can survive for years in soils, and Dr. Joel 
>Pedersen,et al,  Wisconsin State, found that soil can increase the 
>infectivity by a factor of 680.
>
>Helane Shields, Alton, NH
>
>_______________________________________
>Join us as the US Composting Council's 18th Annual Conference & 
>Trade Show, January 24-27, 2010 at the Wyndham Orlando Resort, FL. 
>The Largest Conference & Exhibition in North America for the 
>Composting, Wood Waste, & Organics Recycling Industry. The Most 
>Comprehensive Program of Training Courses, Educational & Technical 
>Presentations, and Facility Tours & "Live" Equipment Demonstrations 
>at the Disney/Reedy Creek Composting Facility. Conference Highlights 
>& Program, Registration forms, Exhibitor Information and Sponsorship 
>Opportunities available at the USCC website 
>www.compostingcouncil.org or call the USCC at 631.737.4931
>_____________________________________________________________________________
>Compost maillist - compost at mailman.cloudnet.com
>http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
>_______________________________________
>This list is a service provided by the US Composting Council (USCC).
>(c) Copyright 2004 United States Composting Council - All rights reserved
>
>Opinions expressed do not necessarily represent the USCC, the 
>Foundation, or the Board of Directors.
>
>Non-members of USCC are encouraged to join the Council through its 
>website at: http://www.compostingcouncil.org/membership.cfm
>
>Members posting CC copies to the list and other addresses may have 
>their posting privileges suspended. For discussion list policies and 
>information regarding subscribing, unsubscribing, digest or other 
>options, go to: http://mailman.cloudnet.com/mailman/listinfo/compost
>
>For additional help in unsubcribing or to report bugs and problems, 
>send a message to the List Manager at compostlistmanager at compostingcouncil.org

Greg Evanylo
Professor and Extension Specialist
Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences (0403)
426 Smyth Hall, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg, VA 24061
Ph: 540-231-9739
Fax: 540-231-3075
Cell: 540-257-4647
gevanylo at vt.edu
http://www.cses.vt.edu/people/profiles/evanylo_profile.html