8.9 Disposal of carcasses
Disposal of carcasses should be carried out in such a way that the
carcasses should no longer constitute a risk for further spread of the
pathogen to the susceptible animals by direct or indirect means. In case
of ASF, method of safe disposal includes(i) rendering, (ii) incineration
(iii) burning or (iv) deep burial on the spot (OIE, 2019b). Incineration
or rendering is the most effective and easy way to dispose of carcasses.
However, the movement of infected carcasses to the rendering plant may
again pose a certain risk of spreading the disease and might not be
feasible in Indian situations. Burning of carcasses in an outdoor area
can also be done in several ways: pyre burning, pit burning,
above-ground incineration or a combination of the above methods.
However, deep burial is a better option which can be done through trench
burial or mass burial and in both the cases, the carcasses should be
disinfected. Burial pits should be deep enough to ensure a soil layer of
at least 1 metre above the carcass to prevent scavenging and to avoid
contamination (Guberti et al., 2018).