Landfills Concerned About Birds Killed From Avian Flu

Siouxland Matters

The Northwest Iowa Solid Waste Agency in Sheldon, Iowa might be a place where birds killed from the avian flu could be disposed.  So far over 20 million birds are set to be euthanized. State officials don't have many options on where to dispose them but are confident landfills could help out. 

"If they believe that they can do that, and in this case if they're very interested, I think we'll have some that'll indicate that interest," said Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Bill Northey.  This agency has never dealt with a situation like this before, and they're not sure how to handle it. If they were to take the birds, they'll be sealed in a bag and from this this is what would happen:  

"They'd be brought in on a roll off, and what they can do is be zip shut and contained form the farm to the landfill, once they're, they're dumped in to a trench," said Larry Oldenkamp, NW Iowa Solid Waste Agency, Director of Operations. That might be the protocol but the agency does have its reservations about birds infected with avian flu. 

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