Today's news reports several NY counties are putting roadkill deer in their compost piles. Seems very strange to me.
Composting roadkill
Nov 12, 2007
13 Replies
formatting link
than I ever wanted to know. Says they use the compost on the highway right-of-way where there is low pet and human contact. How comforting! Sounds like a lot of "low possiblity", "most of", and "unlikely" situations. Maybe in the long run it is for the better as the landfill is the alternative. I know I don't want it in my yard.
Apparently, that part of the country is lacking in native insects that eat roadkill to any great extent. Roadkill generally does not exist on the traveled part of the road.
dead stuff my cats bring me gets dug under the trees as slow release fertiliser. A useful source of nutrition.
rob
I'm confused about the "may contaminate water" concern. I can see how
50 dead bodies on top of each other might be a problem, but where do these people think wild animals go when they die?
Scavengers take care of dead animals in the wild. What did you think?
Critters gotta eat too. Between blow flys, foxes, crows, vultures, etc. dead animals in the wild do not last long. Bones left in compost would be good source of phosphorous. I've seen deer carcasses in wild vanish in a week with only bones behind. Left long enough, mice may get bones.
Composting animals or parts of, is a bad idea for a home owner, IMO. It attracts vermin to the property.
These people have the right answer to Road Kill
formatting link
David Hil
-- Dave Hill
Here in Pa, it's legal to pick up road kill and take it home-wasn't always like that.
*I* know that. I was questioning the logic of the above referenced article. The way it read, it seemed that "dragging carcasses further into the woods from the roads" was a bad idea as it could contaminate water.
My point was that there are far more animals in cities and towns dieing in the woods/parks somewhere than there are being composted or cremated. Using the above logic, we should all have disease-ridden water. :
Dave Hill wrote
Reminds me of this site:
formatting link
Doesn't the answer lie somewhere in the total mass of roadkill vs. the capacity of local vermin to eat such roadkill vs. the locality of such roadkill to a human water source? See no such figures anywhere in that weblink. Seems more wishful thinking in a negative sort of way. Nothing to substantiate.
makes some good mulch/fertilizer. .. the turkey vultures around here dont like the idea.. lucas
formatting link
Join the Discussion
Have something to add? Share your thoughts — no account required.
Didn't find your answer?
Ask the community — no account required