An Analysis of Leachate Constituents and Pathogen Destruction in Deer Mortality Static Windrow Composting

Donaldson, Bridget M.; Smith, Garrett P.; Kweon, Young-Jun; Sriranganathan, Nammalwar

An Analysis of Leachate Constituents and Pathogen Destruction in Deer Mortality Static Windrow Composting

2013

Donaldson, Bridget M. | Smith, Garrett P. | Kweon, Young-Jun | Sriranganathan, Nammalwar

Approximately 1.1 million deer–vehicle collisions occur in the United States each year. The predominant methods of disposing of these carcasses (landfill and burial) have several costly disadvantages, including long travel distances to landfills, increasing landfill restrictions, and lack of viable burial areas. Some states have found static compost windrows to be an easy and cost-effective carcass management technique. This type of composting involves the construction of passively aerated static piles, which do not require the materials turning needed with more traditional composting methods. In this study, deer mortality static compost windrows were monitored for 1 year. Windrows were analyzed for pathogen destruction and the degree to which underlying soil filtered leachate contaminants. In response to high windrow temperatures, indicator pathogens Escherichia coli and Salmonella were reduced by 99.99 % the first sampling day (day 7) and ascarids were deemed non-viable by day 77. Soil filtration of leachate was effective in reducing concentrations of ammonia, chloride, and total organic carbon. Nitrate, a contaminant of particular regulatory concern, had an estimated mass contaminant loss of 2.1 kg/ha, compared to the estimated 9 to 50 kg/ha loss from fertilizer application of common agronomic crops. Results of this study indicate that with properly constructed static compost windrows, (1) high temperatures effectively destroy indicator pathogens; (2) the natural filtration of leachate through soil reduces deer mortality contaminant concentrations; and (3) the low volume of leachate (i.e., two percent of the precipitation that fell on windrows) results in nominal losses of nitrate and other contaminants.

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