Dive Brief:

• According to a report, USDA officials have inked an agreement with Iowa Waste Systems to allow disposal of 3.5 million chickens slaughtered to prevent spread of avian flu. The bids will be buried at Loess Hills Sanitary Landfill.
• They would transported in bags inside trucks with sawdust. During wet weather, to avoid contamination, the landfill won’t take the bird flu carcasses.
• Despite various safety measures that will be used to deal with this bird flu waste, some Mills County leaders are still concerned with the plan. Richard Crouch, chairman of the county’s board of supervisors, said he’s worried that the birds could contaminate groundwater for years after they are buried. "They claim… the disease dissipates eight hours after death," Crouch said.  

Dive Insight:

This is an unfolding tragedy for the poultry industry, but the problem of dealing with the carcasses of the potentially infected birds requires a solution.

Experts believe the bird flu will wane in the U.S. after summer arrives, since the disease has difficulty surviving in hot conditions.