March 29, 2024

Iowa landfills get OK to take carcasses from bird flu cases

DES MOINES — Two Iowa landfills have been given approvals from federal and state officials to dispose of some of the millions of chicken, turkey and duck carcasses amassing from the outbreak of bird flu. The Des Moines Register reports that the carcasses will go to the Northwest Iowa Area Solid Waste Agency landfill near Sheldon and the Iowa Waste Systems landfill near Malvern in southwest Iowa. On Wednesday Iowa officials added two turkey farms to the state list of cases, raising the number to 62.

The USDA says confirmed outbreaks have claimed nearly 40 million birds in 15 states since early March, mostly in Minnesota and Iowa.