WYOMING

Carcass Disposal State Regulations

General

Depending on circumstances, large animal carcass disposal may be regulated by a state's solid waste, medical waste, agriculture, or emergency management regulations. If your state does not provide specific guidance or regulations relating to large animal carcass disposal, check with your local health department, or city/county laws and ordinances.

In addition, during emergency situations and disasters (e.g., blizzards, floods, hurricanes, mass die-offs, etc.), consult with your local emergency officials, your state emergency planning agency, or the state veterinarian, to determine approved methods of carcass disposal.

Applicable Agencies and Regulations for Wyoming

Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality

Address: 122 West 25th St., Cheyenne, WY 82002

Contact Information: http://deq.state.wy.us/admin/contacts.asp

Rules and Regulations: Wyoming Statute 35-10-104: Dead Animal Disposal. Must be taken care of within 48 hours. Disposal options addressed:

• Landfilling: May be taken to city or county landfills.

• Burial: Burial on own property at least 1/2 mile from human habitation and not in contact with surface water, minimum of 2 ft of cover and not in contact with ground water.

• Burning: Allowed only if operator has an air quality permit allowing him to burn ""trade wastes"" or the operator has a licensed incinerator in which to burn trade wastes.

Rules and Regulations: Water Quality Rules and Regulations, Chapter 1, Section 14: Dead Animals and Solid Waste. Dead animals or solid waste shall not be placed or allowed to remain in Wyoming surface waters. Animal feeding operations have specific regulations that require the preservation of water quality.

Rules and Regulations: Wyoming DEQ Solid Waste Guideline #17. This Guidance is intended only for farms, ranches and animal feeding operation faciliites that are exempt from the waste management permitting requirements of the WDEQ Solid and Hazardous Waste Rules and Regulations. The purpose of this Guidance is to provide recommendations to farmers, ranchers and exempt animal feeding operation facilities for composting animals that have died on their premises. The recommendations include information about locating, designing, constructing, operating and closing dead animal composting facilities. Questions should be directed to the WDEQ at 307-777-7752

More Information

The Cornell Waste Management Institute (CWMI) maintains a database of carcass disposal state regulations promulgated by state environmental, agricultural and other agencies. There may be additional information on this site, not found on VetCA, that can be helpful to veterinarians, ranchers and farmers. Click here to access the CWMI information for Wyoming.

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