Livestock Mortality Management in a Disaster or Disease Outbreak

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1 Livestock Mortality Management in a Disaster or Disease Outbreak Washington State Preparedness August 13, 2007 Chuck Matthews Washington State Department of Ecology

2 Key Points Federal and State Overviews Disposal Options and Key Considerations Plan Status and Observations For Solid Waste Professionals

3 Federal Background All recent preparedness planning has roots in the National Response Plan. Homeland Security Presidential Directive-5 directed the development of a new National Response Plan (NRP) to align Federal coordination structures, capabilities, and resources into a unified, all-discipline, and all-hazards approach to domestic incident management.

4 Washington State Overview State Comprehensive Emergency Response Plan is modeled on the Federal NRP All responses are coordinated within the State Emergency Management Division

5 Emergency Support Function 11 Agriculture and Natural Resources

6 ESF 11-Ag. & Nat. Resources Identifies activities covered by the ESF Identifies State and local planning stakeholders Identifies primary and support agencies during a response. Disposal staff are in support role

7 General Sequence Triggering Action Foreign Animal Disease (FAD) Farmer/Rancher notices something wrong with the animals calls local Veterinarian Local Veterinarian suspects a FAD Calls State Veterinarian State Veterinarian sends out a Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostician to check and sample. Local Health Department is notified. State Veterinarian notifies the USDA Area Veterinarian Samples sent to the USDA Laboratory at Plum Island, New York.

8 General Sequence Triggering Action IF FAD Confirmed County officials or the Director of the Washington State Department of Agriculture may declare an Emergency. The State Emergency Operations Center is alerted. WSDA Director convenes a decision group to determine scope of problem. If necessary, the Governor may proclaim an Emergency. This would allow use of State Resources.

9 General Sequence Triggering Action If event regional or beyond State resources; Governor(s) may request Presidential Emergency Declaration Activate the National Response Plan (ESF 11) All involved will support operations to eradicate the disease and develop and implement the disposal plan. This is a very logistics intensive operation!

10 State EOC (Camp Murray) Unified Command Center (Policy) WSDA, USDA, Others Incident Command Center (Tactical) Vets, Field Responders Joint Info. Center (WSDA & Industry) Farm Farm Farm

11 Disposal Options and Key Considerations

12 Routine vs. Emergency Disposal Routine applies to the normal dayto-day mortalities from the agriculture operations. Emergency applies to extraordinary circumstances, such as: natural disasters, agroterrorism, and foreign animal diseases.

13 What are the Emergency threats to livestock? Deliberate or accidental release of highly contagious Foreign Animal Disease (FAD=TAD) Prion-related disease (BSE, CWD, Scrapie) Mass Casualties from natural disaster

14 World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) Lists about 120 FADs affecting multiple species including cattle, horses, swine, poultry, goats and sheep, fish and other Must be reported to the OIE when discovered. Most recent events of note involve Avian Influenza, BSE, and Foot and Mouth

15 The Problem for Disposal Experts Must be able to respond quickly to any situations requiring emergency disposal. Conflicting goals Time is not in our favor.

16 Conflicting Goals? Ag interests often is minimizing economic impacts and quick return to production Solid waste professional interest is ensuring the least short and long-term environmental impact while supporting response efforts.

17 Safe Disposal Methods Depend on many factors Site conditions (terrain, soil type, groundwater) Reason for disposal (disease, natural disaster, other) Measures taken to prevent the spread of disease (contaminants? wildlife?) Vector Potential (spread of disease) Weather and time (Summer vs. Winter) Available Resources Urgency of Situation

18 Options Generally Considered for Disposal depending on event Rendering Composting Landfilling Incineration Hyperbaric Alkaline Digestion On-site burial Pyres & Curtain Burners

19 Rendering Only two plants in Washington (0 in OR) Running daily at or close to capacity Can t or won t take all animals (BSE) Carcass storage while awaiting rendering is a major problem Movement restrictions may make option unavailable

20 Composting On-farm maintains biosecurity Effective pathogen reduction for many microbes End product usable or volume reduced If large culling event, most useful for small animals

21 Composting (limits) Availability of co-compost materials Availability of expertise Odors and vectors if piles not properly maintained Not effective for prion destruction Lack of available land

22 Landfilling Preferred disposal option if: Movement of carcasses possible Limited to Subtitle D landfill Operator willing to accept Infrastructure diminishing

23 Incineration Three main facilities considered during BSE event Spokane Waste to Energy Facility Kimberly Clark Hog Fuel Boiler WSU Incinerator

24 Incineration (limits) All have limited capacity Animals would need to be partially dismembered Public Perception Carcass storage while awaiting rendering may be a major problem Requires transport of animals

25 Hyperbaric Alkaline Digestion Technology Exists Research indicates effective on prions Research continues but no regional availability and volume can quickly overwhelm system

26 On-site Burial Environmental and regulatory concerns Available space Future property use Neighbor concerns (drinking water supply, possible odors) Public perception Biosecure if precautions taken

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29 Example of Possible Scale Scenario Foot and Mouth Disease Moses Lake 50,000 head feed lot. All must be depopulated should not be moved to prevent spread of disease. Steer equals approximately 2 cubic yards, or 100,000 cubic yards of material to bury. Required a 12 foot wide, 9 foot deep dozer trench that is 37,500 feet long. (Over 7 miles long!) Resource intensive!!! Environmental concerns

30 Pyres & Curtain Burners Pyres are resource intensive Temperatures inadequate to assure prion destruction Environmental Impacts Public outcry Curtain burners effective but adequate availability for large response questionable

31 UK Pyre Construction 170 Tons Coal 400 Railroad Ties 300 Wood Pallets 80 Large Rolled Bales of Straw 600 Gallons of Diesel

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34 State Response Plan Status A plan exists but logistical details for disposal are lacking Speaks to options but not to circumstances Locations of equipment Material Practice of plan

35 Why is it Important to Continue Planning Work? Disposal experts need to provide environmentally sound options Don t want urgency of existing problem to cause future problems Develop understanding of infrastructure and availability of regional resources Understand suitability of each option based on biosecurity Plan should be a living document

36 Why is it Important to Continue Planning Work? Present is best opportunity to mitigate impacts No single best option for all circumstances May not like any options Innovation opportunity!

37 Lessons for Disposal Experts from the UK Foot and Mouth Outbreak February September 2001

38 Dilemma The pressing challenge during the outbreak was to match the limited disposal resources and develop new resources given the number of slaughtered animals which needed to be disposed of within very tight time frames OIE Report-Carcass Disposal: lessons from Great Britain following foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2001

39 Duration Main response event lasted for nine months 2900 animals culled at the end of the first week. Depopulation peaked with culling of 615,000 animals in a week at the end of the seventh week. Gradual reduction of euthanasia after mid April with minor spikes through September. 24/48 Hour Policy

40 Scope At the Peak of Event (In one week ending April 8 th ) Over 615,000 animals slaughtered Over 627,000 animals disposed Over 498,000 animals awaiting slaughter Over 217,000 animals awaiting disposal 2002 OIE Report-Carcass Disposal: lessons from Great Britain following foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2001

41 Peak (cont.) Logistics 1,437 Veterinarians Deployed 1,600 Military Personnel Deployed Disposal Facility Coordination Emergency Construction for mass burial 2002 OIE Report-Carcass Disposal: lessons from Great Britain following foot and mouth disease outbreaks of 2001

42 Progression of UK Event (premises daily)

43 Countrywide Economic Impacts Over 6,612,000 Total Animals Killed Cattle ~15% Sheep ~82% Pigs ~4% Goats, deer, others also culled ~500 dogs destroyed 9,781 Holdings Affected by Slaughter Policy Defra Disease Control System, Jan 9, 2002

44 Countrywide Economic Impacts $6.9 Billion spent in US dollars Lost Jobs Community Veterinarians Tax Base Lost Farms (Banks)

45 Human and Other Impacts 80 Suicides PTSD for Responders and Owners Children Emotional Problems Lawsuits Environmental impacts still under review

46 Conclusion Imagine, as the disposal expert at the table, trying to raise a voice for responsible disposal with the dynamics described above in motion. What would you wish had occurred ahead of time?

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48 Contact Information Chuck Matthews (360)