Evaluation of swine carcass disposal using mobile incinerators

In the event of an animal disease outbreak such as African Swine Fever (ASF), many thousands of swine may succumb to the disease or need to be euthanized to contain the outbreak. Swine mortalities will need to be properly and quickly disposed of to limit spread of the disease and mitigate environmental impacts. On-site carcass disposal options such as composting and burial eliminate the need to transport the carcasses over roadways, thus reducing biosecurity concerns. Another on-site animal carcass disposal option being considered is the use of mobile incinerators/cremators. Field tests were conducted in 2024 to evaluate two different sized mobile incinerators for their carcass disposal potential. The tests evaluated the incinerators' throughput, fuel usage, and ash generation. In addition, sampling and analysis of the bottom ash and air pollutant emissions from the incinerators were performed. Several air pollutants were measured at the stack, including particulate matter, dioxins/furans, nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, metals, and others. The average charge rates of swine carcasses to the large and small incinerators during testing was 359 and 59 kg per hr, respectively. The highest mass emission rate of any pollutant from the large incinerator was 1.08 kg/hr (for nitrogen oxides), and for the smaller incinerator, emissions were at de minimis levels. Similarly, analyses of the bottom ash found that all metal and organic compound analytes were below the laboratory's reporting limit. These results from the evaluation of the incinerators may inform officials on their use in the event ASF reaches their country.Implications: This work shows the promise of using mobile incinerators to process swine carcasses in the event of a foreign animal disease outbreak such as African Swine Fever. The research presents for the first time data on throughput, air emissions and bottom ash from the cremation of swine mortalities using portable incineration units. This work may inform officials in their selection of options for the disposition of animal mortalities in a large-scale animal disease event.