MSU Extension Animal Agriculture

Bodies of Dead Animals Act Information:

The Bodies of Dead Animals Act (BODA) outlines those options that are acceptable for mortality disposal in the state of Michigan (https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-48096_48404---,00.html). These options include landfill, rendering, composting, burial, and incineration.

Landfill:

1. Must be a Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) licensed landfill
   1. List of EGLE landfills in the state of Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/egle/0,9429,7-135-3312_4123-9894--,00.html
   2. Call ahead to see if landfill accepts dead animals

Rendering:

1. Must be a state licensed renderer
   1. List of state licensed renderers in the state of Michigan: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1569_16979_21265---,00.html

Composting:

1. Can occur on your own property or other property with permission as long as you are following the below composting procedures:
   1. Bodies of Dead Animals Rules - http://dmbinternet.state.mi.us/DMB/ORRDocs/AdminCode/1564_2015-059AC_AdminCode.pdf
   2. Michigan Animal Tissue Compost Operational Standard - https://www.michigan.gov/documents/mda/BODA_Composting_Operational_Standards_216592_7.pdf

• Carcass Composting – A Guide to Mortality Management on Michigan Cattle Farms (E3197) - https://www.canr.msu.edu/resources/carcass_composting_a_guide_to_mortality_management_on_michigan_cattle_farms

1. Can also occur at a registered composting facility
2. List of registered composting facilities in the state of Michigan - https://www.michigan.gov/documents/deq/DEQ-WHMD-List_Registered_Compost_Sites_230193_7.pdf
3. Call ahead to make sure composting facility accepts dead animals

Burial:

1. Can potentially occur on your own property or other property with permission as long as following the below requirements:
2. Sites must not have contact with surface or ground water
3. Sites must be 200 feet from wells

• Individual and common graves are allowable (see the Bodies of Dead Animals Act page 3) - https://dtmb.state.mi.us/ORRDocs/AdminCode/1564_2015-059AC_AdminCode.pdf

Incineration:

1. Must be permitted by the Air Quality Division of EGLE
   1. Capacity could make this difficult if a large mortality event occurs
   2. No current online list of municipal waste incinerators

Other:

Other methods may be used with approval from the Director of the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development: https://www.michigan.gov/mdard/0,4610,7-125-1572_82358---,00.html